Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data

BackgroundThis paper examines the subjective well-being of older adults in China. Based on data from the China General Social Survey (CGSS2021), the agreement levels of 21 questions on the subjective well-being of older adults were extracted and analyzed.MethodsThe 21 questions were categorized into...

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Main Authors: Yingying Chen, Tianrui Cai, Ruiqin Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1585408/full
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author Yingying Chen
Tianrui Cai
Ruiqin Tian
author_facet Yingying Chen
Tianrui Cai
Ruiqin Tian
author_sort Yingying Chen
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThis paper examines the subjective well-being of older adults in China. Based on data from the China General Social Survey (CGSS2021), the agreement levels of 21 questions on the subjective well-being of older adults were extracted and analyzed.MethodsThe 21 questions were categorized into positive and negative factors based on cluster analysis. For the 10 positive factors, the information entropy method was used to determine their weights and calculate the happiness scores of older adults. For the 11 negative factors, the unhappiness scores of older adults were calculated by the confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process.ResultsAn average happiness score of 4.499 was obtained, of which the more influential factors were family income, personality control, and the natural environment. An average score of 3.062 was obtained, among them, the more influential factors are health status, family communication and body parts.Conclusions and recommendationsOverall, it shows that the subjective happiness of the Chinese older adults is strong and unhappiness is weak. Then we further find significant differences in the above scores of older adults with different socioeconomic status through one-way ANOVA. Based on the results of the study, we finally proposed targeted recommendations to improve the happiness feelings of older adults, including encouraging communication with family members and improving body parts.
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spelling doaj-art-7f2954b8d24d4d9e8098c0b9cb1c7f192025-08-20T03:47:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-08-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15854081585408Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 dataYingying ChenTianrui CaiRuiqin TianBackgroundThis paper examines the subjective well-being of older adults in China. Based on data from the China General Social Survey (CGSS2021), the agreement levels of 21 questions on the subjective well-being of older adults were extracted and analyzed.MethodsThe 21 questions were categorized into positive and negative factors based on cluster analysis. For the 10 positive factors, the information entropy method was used to determine their weights and calculate the happiness scores of older adults. For the 11 negative factors, the unhappiness scores of older adults were calculated by the confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process.ResultsAn average happiness score of 4.499 was obtained, of which the more influential factors were family income, personality control, and the natural environment. An average score of 3.062 was obtained, among them, the more influential factors are health status, family communication and body parts.Conclusions and recommendationsOverall, it shows that the subjective happiness of the Chinese older adults is strong and unhappiness is weak. Then we further find significant differences in the above scores of older adults with different socioeconomic status through one-way ANOVA. Based on the results of the study, we finally proposed targeted recommendations to improve the happiness feelings of older adults, including encouraging communication with family members and improving body parts.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1585408/fullolder adultssubjective well-beinginformation entropy methodconfirmatory factor analysisanalytic hierarchy process
spellingShingle Yingying Chen
Tianrui Cai
Ruiqin Tian
Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data
Frontiers in Public Health
older adults
subjective well-being
information entropy method
confirmatory factor analysis
analytic hierarchy process
title Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data
title_full Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data
title_fullStr Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data
title_full_unstemmed Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data
title_short Investigation into the subjective well-being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process—an empirical analysis based on CGSS2021 data
title_sort investigation into the subjective well being of older adults via confirmatory factor analysis and analytic hierarchy process an empirical analysis based on cgss2021 data
topic older adults
subjective well-being
information entropy method
confirmatory factor analysis
analytic hierarchy process
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1585408/full
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