Subjective wellbeing in gypsy students

Abstract

Gypsy often experience substandard social conditions, poorer health, and discrimination. However, little is known about Gypsies students’ subjective wellbeing. This study aimed to compare Gypsy (n= 42) and non-Gypsy (n= 76) young-students (mean age= 13 years) in terms of composite Subjective Wellbeing (combining indicators of satisfaction with life, positive and negative affect, satisfaction with social support, and quality of life). A series of t-tests indicated that Gypsy and non-Gypsy students did not differ significantly in Subjective Wellbeing. A novelty and strength of the study were that we complemented mean difference tests with procedures for describing group similarities. Understanding similarity is important because it can lead to more accurate and positive perceptions of outgroups, including Gypsies. Across multiple dimensions of Subjective Wellbeing, the similarity between Gypsy and non-Gypsy students was greater than 92%. Although students gypsies experience several cultural specificities, they seem to register levels of composite wellbeing similar to non-gypsy peers. These results are relevant for inclusion practices and policies, as they suggest that research in quality of life is an important means to promote inclusion and equity and to reduce prejudice against ethnic minoritie.