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Young in class: Implications for inattentive/hyperactive behaviour of Canadian boys and girls

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  • Kelly Chen
  • Nicole Fortin
  • Shelley Phipps

Abstract

Using data from the Statistics Canada National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY), this paper investigates the impact of school entry age on inattentive/hyperactive behaviours. We employ both an across‐provinces and time difference‐in‐differences approach and a within‐province regression discontinuity design. We find that being young in class causes greater inattentive/hyperactive behaviour, exacerbating any inattentive/hyperactive behaviour exhibited prior to school entry. These results also hold in sibling fixed effect models. We do not find gender differences in the effects, although since boys are more likely to be inattentive/hyperactive at school entry, they are more affected. These effects persist into early adolescence. Âge d'entrée à l'école : impact sur les comportements d'inattention et d'hyperactivité des garçons et des filles au Canada. Nous utilisons les données de l'Enquête longitudinale nationale sur les enfants et les jeunes (ELNEJ) pour étudier l'impact de l'âge d'entrée à l'école sur les comportements d'inattention et d'hyperactivité. Nous tirons avantage des différences interprovinciales, qui varient dans le temps, dans le cadre d'une approche de différences‐en‐différences, et nous utilisons aussi des régressions de discontinuité à l'intérieur des provinces. Nos résultats démontrent qu'être relativement jeune dans la classe augmente les comportements inattentifs et hyperactifs, spécialement chez les jeunes déjà inattentifs/hyperactifs avant l'entrée à l'école. Ces résultats tiennent également dans des modèles à effets fixes familiaux. Bien que les effets ne soient pas différents entre garçons et filles, parce que les garçons sont plus susceptibles d'être inattentifs/hyperactifs avant d'entrer à l'école, ils sont aussi les plus touchés. Ces effets persistent en début d'adolescence.

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  • Kelly Chen & Nicole Fortin & Shelley Phipps, 2015. "Young in class: Implications for inattentive/hyperactive behaviour of Canadian boys and girls," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(5), pages 1601-1634, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:48:y:2015:i:5:p:1601-1634
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12174
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    Cited by:

    1. Page, Lionel & Sarkar, Dipanwita & Silva-Goncalves, Juliana, 2019. "Long-lasting effects of relative age at school," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 166-195.
    2. Kelly Chen & Lars Osberg & Shelley Phipps, 2019. "Unequal opportunities and public policy: The impact of parental disability benefits on child postsecondary attendance," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(4), pages 1401-1432, November.
    3. Kong, Nancy & Phipps, Shelley & Watson, Barry, 2021. "Parental economic insecurity and child health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    4. Chen, Kelly & Phipps, Shelley, 2021. "“Why can't you sit still?”The effect of daily physical activity on childhood inattention/hyperactivity and the educational gender gap," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    5. Marie Connolly & Catherine Haeck, 2018. "Le lien entre la taille des classes et les compétences cognitives et non cognitives," CIRANO Project Reports 2018rp-18, CIRANO.
    6. Ferrer, Ana M. & Pan, Yazhuo, 2018. "Family structure and child cognitive outcomes: Evidence from Canadian longitudinal data," CLEF Working Paper Series 16, Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF), University of Waterloo.
    7. Kelly Chen & Lars Osberg & Shelley Phipps, 2015. "Inter-generational effects of disability benefits: evidence from Canadian social assistance programs," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 873-910, October.

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    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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