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Child Mental Health, Family Circumstance, and Long-Term Success: The Effect of Household Income

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  • Randall Akee
  • William Copeland
  • Emilia Simeonova

Abstract

We use data from a long-running experiment in which American Indian households received income transfers from a casino, while other households did not. Using a difference-in-difference analysis, we find that the treated children had fewer depression and anxiety symptoms at age 30. In adulthood, individuals with more years of treatment exposure also had greater economic well-being around age 30. The untreated children, in adulthood, showed strong persistence in measures of mental health from adolescence through age 30, while in the treated group, children persistence was greatly attenuated. The estimated effects are slightly stronger for treated children who experienced fewer mental health symptoms before the transfers began at ages 16 and 21, but by age 30, all affected children showed reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved economic outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Randall Akee & William Copeland & Emilia Simeonova, 2024. "Child Mental Health, Family Circumstance, and Long-Term Success: The Effect of Household Income," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 59(S), pages 77-107.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:59:y:2024:i:s:p:s77-s107
    Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1222-12709R2
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    File URL: http://jhr.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/59/S/S77
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gordon B. Dahl & Lance Lochner, 2012. "The Impact of Family Income on Child Achievement: Evidence from the Earned Income Tax Credit," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(5), pages 1927-1956, August.
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    3. Randall K. Q. Akee & William E. Copeland & Gordon Keeler & Adrian Angold & E. Jane Costello, 2010. "Parents' Incomes and Children's Outcomes: A Quasi-experiment Using Transfer Payments from Casino Profits," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(1), pages 86-115, January.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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