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Analyzing student well-being across unequal economic landscapes: A comparative study of Italian territories

  • Ida D'Attoma
  • Maria Gabriella Campolo
  • Camila Cid
  • Giorgio Tassinari

Subjective well-being has been extensively studied across disciplines, including economics, which  initially linked it to monetary income. However, income perception—shaped by past economic  conditions, social comparisons, and local living costs—plays a crucial role in well-being. This study examines the subjective well-being of students at the University of Bologna and the University of Messina, exploring the impact of perceived socioeconomic status and income in  different territorial contexts. It compares students from internal and non-internal areas while  accounting for social, cultural, and demographic factors. A survey conducted between April and June 2024 included 879 students from Bologna and 863 from  Messina. Well-being was assessed using the Flourishing Scale, the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), and the Life Satisfaction Scale. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on wellbeing scores was performed, followed by regression analysis incorporating socioeconomic and geographic  indicators, student status (resident, non-resident, commuter), and origin from internal areas. Results are expected to reveal significant differences between universities, reflecting the influence of  socioeconomic and territorial contexts. Students from internal areas may experience lower well-being due to limited access to services, geographic isolation, and fewer professional opportunities. Findings  highlight the critical role of economic perceptions in psychological well-being and the distinct  characteristics of university students compared to the general adult population. Understanding these dynamics can inform targeted psychological and financial support strategies.

  • Keywords:
  • Subjective well-being,
  • Socioeconomic status,
  • Geographic settings,
  • Segmentation,
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Ida D'Attoma

Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-2305-8454

Maria Gabriella Campolo

University of Messina, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-1075-4573

Camila Cid

Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Italy

Giorgio Tassinari

Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0002-5161-7989

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  • Anno di pubblicazione: 2026
  • Pagine: 171-176

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  • Anno di pubblicazione: 2026

Informazioni sul capitolo

Titolo del capitolo

Analyzing student well-being across unequal economic landscapes: A comparative study of Italian territories

Autori

Ida D'Attoma, Maria Gabriella Campolo, Camila Cid, Giorgio Tassinari

Lingua

Inglese

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-1062-1.31

Opera sottoposta a peer review

Anno di pubblicazione

2026

Copyright

© 2026 Author(s)

Licenza d'uso

CC BY 4.0

Licenza dei metadati

CC0 1.0

Informazioni bibliografiche

Titolo del libro

Data, Statistics and AI for Well-Being of People and Organisations

Curatori

Luigi Fabbris, Alberto Franci, Pietro Renzi

Opera sottoposta a peer review

Numero di pagine

420

Anno di pubblicazione

2026

Copyright

© 2026 Author(s)

Licenza d'uso

CC BY 4.0

Licenza dei metadati

CC0 1.0

Editore

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-1062-1

ISBN Print

979-12-215-1061-4

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979-12-215-1062-1

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979-12-215-1063-8

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Applied Statistics Series

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