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The Enduring Impact of Childhood Experience on Mental Health: Evidence Using Instrumented Co-Twin Data

Author

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  • Rachel Berner Shalem
  • Francesca Cornaglia
  • Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

Abstract

The question of whether there is a lasting effect of childhood experience on mental health has eluded causal measurement. We draw upon identical twin data and econometric instrumentation to provide an unbiased answer. We find that 55% of a one standard deviation change in mental health due to idiosyncratic experience at age 9 will still be present three years later. Extending the analysis, we find such persistence to vary with age at impact, gender, and mental health sub-categories. This investigation allows us to get a grasp on the degree to which childhood events influence health and socio-economic outcomes by way of their lagged effect on subsequent mental health. A better understanding of the evolution of mental health also helps identifying when mental health issues can be most effectively treated.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Berner Shalem & Francesca Cornaglia & Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, 2012. "The Enduring Impact of Childhood Experience on Mental Health: Evidence Using Instrumented Co-Twin Data," CEP Discussion Papers dp1175, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1175
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sandewall, Örjan & Cesarini, David & Johannesson, Magnus, 2014. "The co-twin methodology and returns to schooling — testing a critical assumption," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 1-10.
    2. Ashenfelter, Orley & Krueger, Alan B, 1994. "Estimates of the Economic Returns to Schooling from a New Sample of Twins," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(5), pages 1157-1173, December.
    3. Case, Anne & Fertig, Angela & Paxson, Christina, 2005. "The lasting impact of childhood health and circumstance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 365-389, March.
    4. Richard Layard, 2012. "How Mental Illness Loses Out in the NHS A report by The Centre for Economic Performance's Mental Health Policy Group," CEP Reports 26, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    5. Goldsmith, Arthur H & Veum, Jonathan R & Darity, William, Jr, 1997. "The Impact of Psychological and Human Capital on Wages," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 35(4), pages 815-829, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Timothy M. Diette & Arthur H. Goldsmith & Darrick Hamilton & William Darity, 2018. "Adult happiness and prior traumatic victimization in and out of the household," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 275-295, June.
    2. Richard Dorsett & Cinzia Rienzo & Martin Weale, 2015. "Intergenerational and Inter-Ethnic Well-Being: An Analysis for the UK," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 451, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mental health; childhood experience; twin study; instrumental variable analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General

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