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A New Time-Use Diary App to Measure Parental Investments

Author

Listed:
  • Bigoni, Maria

    (University of Bologna)

  • Bortolotti, Stefania

    (University of Bologna)

  • Fort, Margherita

    (University of Bologna)

  • Guarini, Annalisa

    (University of Bologna)

  • Iorio, Daniela

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

  • Monfardini, Chiara

    (University of Bologna)

  • Sansavini, Alessandra

    (University of Bologna)

  • Sansone, Davide

    (University of Warwick)

  • Suttora, Chiara

    (University of Bologna)

Abstract

We introduce a new app that collects 24-hour parental time diaries. To assess its validity, we leverage data from a sample of more than 500 parents with pre-school aged children. Our findings show that our tool is reliable and delivers high-quality data. By exploiting contextual information on the child's involvement and feelings during each activity performed with the parent, we construct new measures of parental investments that capture the quality of daily parent-child interactions. We analyse how these novel measures relate to alternative definitions and discuss the potential advantages of the adoption of our approach to time-use measurement in the rapidly growing field of research on the role of parental investments in child development.

Suggested Citation

  • Bigoni, Maria & Bortolotti, Stefania & Fort, Margherita & Guarini, Annalisa & Iorio, Daniela & Monfardini, Chiara & Sansavini, Alessandra & Sansone, Davide & Suttora, Chiara, 2023. "A New Time-Use Diary App to Measure Parental Investments," IZA Discussion Papers 16661, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16661
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    human capital formation; parents; time inputs; app-based survey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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