Structural Equation Modelling for Determining Subjective Well-Being Factors of the Poor Children in Bad Environment

Children’s subjective well-being from poor families is an important policy issue because it will bring them to a positive adaptation, able to cope with stress, have a vision, good self-esteem and self-concept. This study aims to determine the factors thought to influence the children’s subjective well-being: family’s socio-economic conditions and children’s social emotional health based on structural. Equation modelling. Family’s socio-economic condition was thought to affect children’s social emotional health. The analytical method is Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The sample in this study was 203 poor children who live in bad environment in Kampung Pulo Villages, East Jakarta. Results of SEM analysis showed that family’s socio-economic conditions variable has a positive direct effect and significant to the social emotional health variable, as well as social emotional health variable has a positive direct effect and significant impact on the subjective well-being of children. Family’s socio-economic conditions variable has indirect effect on subjective well-being through social emotional health variable. The implication of this study is the importance of considering social emotional health as a leverage factors, so that children can have a positive mental attitude.