新型コロナウィルス感染拡大期における主観的ウェルビーイングの変化とその階層的差異―テレワーク導入の影響に注目して―

抄録

This study examines changes in subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan and specifies differences in the pattern of changes between socio-economic groups. Specifically, focusing on the effects of teleworking on life satisfaction, this study argues that the COVID-19 pandemic widened social inequality in subjective well-being among individuals in Japan. Data from the Online Panel Surveys of Social Stratification and Psychology in 2020 and 2021 (SSPW2020-Panel and SSPW2021-Panel), conducted in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, were analyzed using logistic and fixed-effects ordinary least squares regression models predicting telework experience and changes in life satisfaction, respectively. Results demonstrated that telework experience during the pandemic had statistically significant and positive effects on life satisfaction; however, individuals did not have equal chances for teleworking. Socially advantaged people were more likely to have chances of teleworking compared to socially disadvantaged people. Consequently, even though implementing telework during the pandemic had positive influences on individual’s subjective well-being, it also had negative influences on social welfare because it widened social inequality in subjective well-being.