Well-being in China during COVID-19: The Roles of Income, Education and Subjective Class Identity

Abstract

This study investigates how income, education, and subjective class identity jointly shaped well-being in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. While prior research has often examined these factors separately, their combined influence within the Chinese context remains underexplored. Given the institutional significance of the household registration system (Hukou), gender and Hukou were incorporated as control variables. Using data from the 2021 China General Social Survey (CGSS), both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted. The findings indicate that income, education, and subjective class identity were positively associated with well-being, with subjective class identity showing the strongest effect and potentially mediating the relationship between socioeconomic factors and well-being. Additional analyses reveal variations across gender, Hukou, income and education groups. These results highlight the importance of integrating subjective social perceptions into the study of well-being and can contribute to a more contextualized understanding of well-being in non-Western societies.