The influence of being an only child on children&amp;apos;s life satisfaction：the mediating effect of reinforcement sensitivity

doi:10.3877/cma.j.issn.1673-5250.2024.06.005

Objective

To explore the differences in life satisfaction between only children and non-only children，and to investigate the impact of reinforcement sensitivity on the life satisfaction of these two groups.

Methods

A total of 710 elementary school students in Jinan，Linyi，and Yantai of Shandong P rovince，who were born from August 2007 to August 2010 were selected as subjects for this study.Based on their status as an only child or not，participants were divided into only child group （n=295）and non-only child group （n=415）.The student's life satisfaction scale （SLSS）and the sensitivity to punishment and sensitivity to reward questionnaire for children （SPSRQ-C）were employed to assess the life satisfaction and reinforcement sensitivity of the two groups.Point-biserial correlation analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were utilized to analyze the relationships between being an only child or a non-only child and their life satisfaction，respectively，as well as and the dimensions of reinforcement sensitivity，respectively，also between their life satisfaction and the dimensions of reinforcement sensitivity.The mediation effects of sensitivity to reward（SR）and sensitivity to punishment（SP）on the life satisfaction of only c hildren were analyzed respectively，using Model 4 of the RPOCESS plugin in SPSS software.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University （Approval No.2018178），and informed consent forms was obtained from both the school and the guardians of the students.

Results

①The SLSS score of only-child group was higher than that of non-only child group，while the scores of SP，SR，and the reward responsiveness dimension of SR in only child group were all lower than those in non-only child group，and the differences were statistically significant（P ＜0.05）.②Non-only children exhibited a negative correlation with their life satisfaction （r=-0.11，P＜0.01），a positive correlation with SP （r=0.13，P ＜0.01），and positive correlations with both SR and the reward responsiveness dimension of SR （r=0.08，P ＜0.05；r=0.10，P ＜0.01）.③Life satisfaction in both only child and non-only child groups were negatively correlated with SP （r=-0.12，-0.10；both P＜0.05）.④SR served as a mediator between only children and life satisfaction（Z=-0.111，P=0.911），accounting for 0.48%of the effect；SP played a partial mediating role between only children and life satisfaction，with an effect share of 13.5%.

Conclusion

Reinforcement sensitivity has a certain impact on the life satisfaction of only children.

Key words: Only c hild, Personal satisfaction, Reinforcement（psychology）, Reward, Punishment, Mediation analysis, Child

表1 2组儿童SLSS与SPSRQ-C得分比较（分，±s）

组别	例数	SLSS	SP	SR	SR的3个维度
组别	例数	SLSS	SP	SR	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力
独生子女组	295	4.6±0.9	2.4±0.6	2.6±0.6	2.2±0.7	2.9±0.7	2.7±0.8
非独生子女组	415	4.5±0.9	2.6±0.6	2.7±0.6	2.3±0.7	3.1±0.7	2.8±0.9
t 值		2.86	-3.68	2.06	-1.03	-2.61	-1.31
P 值		0.004	＜0.001	0.040	0.304	0.009	0.189

表1 2组儿童SLSS与SPSRQ-C得分比较（分，±s）

组别	例数	SLSS	SP	SR	SR的3个维度
组别	例数	SLSS	SP	SR	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力
独生子女组	295	4.6±0.9	2.4±0.6	2.6±0.6	2.2±0.7	2.9±0.7	2.7±0.8
非独生子女组	415	4.5±0.9	2.6±0.6	2.7±0.6	2.3±0.7	3.1±0.7	2.8±0.9
t 值		2.86	-3.68	2.06	-1.03	-2.61	-1.31
P 值		0.004	＜0.001	0.040	0.304	0.009	0.189

表2 是否独生子女、生活满意度及强化敏感性之间的相关性分析（r 值，n=710）

变量	是否独生子女	生活满意度	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力	SR	SP
是否独生子女	1
生活满意度	-0.11^b	1
愉悦寻求	0.04	-0.05	1
奖励反应性	0.10^b	-0.02	0.51^b	1
驱力	0.05	0.06	0.45^b	0.42^b	1
SR	0.08a	-0.01	0.85^b	0.82^b	0.73^b	1
SP	0.13^b	-0.12^b	0.52^b	0.49^b	0.21^b	0.53^b	1

表2 是否独生子女、生活满意度及强化敏感性之间的相关性分析（r 值，n=710）

变量	是否独生子女	生活满意度	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力	SR	SP
是否独生子女	1
生活满意度	-0.11^b	1
愉悦寻求	0.04	-0.05	1
奖励反应性	0.10^b	-0.02	0.51^b	1
驱力	0.05	0.06	0.45^b	0.42^b	1
SR	0.08a	-0.01	0.85^b	0.82^b	0.73^b	1
SP	0.13^b	-0.12^b	0.52^b	0.49^b	0.21^b	0.53^b	1

表3 独生子女组295名儿童的生活满意度与强化敏感性的相关性分析（r 值）

变量	生活满意度	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力	SR	SP
生活满意度	1
愉悦寻求	-0.10	1
奖励反应性	-0.10	0.51^b	1
驱力	0.02	0.41^b	0.46^b	1
SR	-0.09	0.83^b	0.83^b	0.73^b	1
SP	-0.12^a	0.58^b	0.49^b	0.18^b	0.55^b	1

表3 独生子女组295名儿童的生活满意度与强化敏感性的相关性分析（r 值）

变量	生活满意度	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力	SR	SP
生活满意度	1
愉悦寻求	-0.10	1
奖励反应性	-0.10	0.51^b	1
驱力	0.02	0.41^b	0.46^b	1
SR	-0.09	0.83^b	0.83^b	0.73^b	1
SP	-0.12^a	0.58^b	0.49^b	0.18^b	0.55^b	1

表4 非独生子女组415名儿童的生活满意度与强化敏感性的相关性分析（r 值）

变量	生活满意度	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力	SR	SP
生活满意度	1
愉悦寻求	-0.004	1
奖励反应性	0.050	0.51^b	1
驱力	0.100	0.48^b	0.38^b	1
SR	0.050	0.86^b	0.80^b	0.73^b	1
SP	-0.100^a	0.47^b	0.48^b	0.22^b	0.50^b	1

表4 非独生子女组415名儿童的生活满意度与强化敏感性的相关性分析（r 值）

变量	生活满意度	愉悦寻求	奖励反应性	驱力	SR	SP
生活满意度	1
愉悦寻求	-0.004	1
奖励反应性	0.050	0.51^b	1
驱力	0.100	0.48^b	0.38^b	1
SR	0.050	0.86^b	0.80^b	0.73^b	1
SP	-0.100^a	0.47^b	0.48^b	0.22^b	0.50^b	1

图1 SR 在独生子女与生活满意度之间的中介模型注：SR 为奖励敏感性

表5 中介模型中是否独生子女、SR、生活满意度之间关系的回归分析

因变量	自变量	β	t 值	F 值	P 值	R ²
生活满意度	独生子女	-0.207	-2.74	7.52	0.008	0.011
SR	独生子女	0.160	2.12	-	0.034	0.006
生活满意度^a	独生子女	-0.206	-2.72	-	0.008	0.011
	SR	-0.004	-0.11	-	0.911	-

表5 中介模型中是否独生子女、SR、生活满意度之间关系的回归分析

因变量	自变量	β	t 值	F 值	P 值	R ²
生活满意度	独生子女	-0.207	-2.74	7.52	0.008	0.011
SR	独生子女	0.160	2.12	-	0.034	0.006
生活满意度^a	独生子女	-0.206	-2.72	-	0.008	0.011
	SR	-0.004	-0.11	-	0.911	-

表6 独生子女对生活满意度影响的总效应、直接效应及SR 在二者间的间接效应

效应	效应值	标准误	效应值95%CI	效应占比（%）
总效应	-0.207	0.075	-0.361～-0.063	-
直接效应	-0.206	0.076	-0.356～-0.056	99.52
间接效应	-0.001	0.007	-0.015～0.013	0.48

表6 独生子女对生活满意度影响的总效应、直接效应及SR 在二者间的间接效应

效应	效应值	标准误	效应值95%CI	效应占比（%）
总效应	-0.207	0.075	-0.361～-0.063	-
直接效应	-0.206	0.076	-0.356～-0.056	99.52
间接效应	-0.001	0.007	-0.015～0.013	0.48

图2 SP在独生子女与生活满意度间的中介模型注：SP为惩罚敏感性

表7 中介模型中独生子女、SP、生活满意度之间关系的回归分析

因变量	自变量	β	t 值	F 值	P 值	R ²
生活满意度	独生子女	-0.207	-2.74	7.515	0.007	0.011
SP	独生子女	0.256	3.45	-	0.001	0.017
生活满意度a	独生子女	-0.179	-2.37	-	0.020	0.011
	SP	-0.106	-2.82	-	0.005	-

表7 中介模型中独生子女、SP、生活满意度之间关系的回归分析

因变量	自变量	β	t 值	F 值	P 值	R ²
生活满意度	独生子女	-0.207	-2.74	7.515	0.007	0.011
SP	独生子女	0.256	3.45	-	0.001	0.017
生活满意度a	独生子女	-0.179	-2.37	-	0.020	0.011
	SP	-0.106	-2.82	-	0.005	-

表8 独生子女对生活满意度影响的总效应、直接效应及SP在二者间的间接效应

效应	效应值	标准误	效应值95%CI	效应占比（%）
总效应	-0.207	0.075	-0.361～-0.063	-
直接效应	-0.179	0.074	-0.323～-0.036	86.5
间接效应	-0.028	0.013	-0.057～-0.006	13.5

表8 独生子女对生活满意度影响的总效应、直接效应及SP在二者间的间接效应

效应	效应值	标准误	效应值95%CI	效应占比（%）
总效应	-0.207	0.075	-0.361～-0.063	-
直接效应	-0.179	0.074	-0.323～-0.036	86.5
间接效应	-0.028	0.013	-0.057～-0.006	13.5

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The influence of being an only child on children's life satisfaction：the mediating effect of reinforcement sensitivity

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The influence of being an only child on children&apos;s life satisfaction：the mediating effect of reinforcement sensitivity

The influence of being an only child on children's life satisfaction：the mediating effect of reinforcement sensitivity