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A review essay on child well-being measurement: uncovering the paths for future research

Author

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  • Liliana Fernandes

    (Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Faculdade de Economia e Gestão)

  • Américo Mendes

    (Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Faculdade de Economia e Gestão)

  • Aurora A.C. Teixeira

    (CEF.UP, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto; INESC Porto; OBEGEF)

Abstract

The research on indicators on the state of child well-being is a growing field and one that has experienced several changes through time. Due to the growing supply of data on children, and in order to facilitate conclusions and tracking trends, researchers have been led to develop child well-being summary indexes. Several proposals have already been presented. In the present work, we critically review the most prominent summary child well-being indexes recently constructed, the Index of Child and Youth Well-Being in the United States, the Child Well-being Index for the European Union, the Microdata Child Well-Being Index, and the Deprivation Index. The examination is carried out according to the contributions and innovations the indexes have brought to the field. A critical assessment of the methods used in the construction of the indexes is made and their main limitations identified. Accordingly, some future lines of research to improve child well-being measurement through summary indexes are put forward.

Suggested Citation

  • Liliana Fernandes & Américo Mendes & Aurora A.C. Teixeira, 2010. "A review essay on child well-being measurement: uncovering the paths for future research," FEP Working Papers 396, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    • Handle: RePEc:por:fepwps:396
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman, 2012. "The Economics of Child Well-Being," NBER Working Papers 18466, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Bruno Martorano & Luisa Natali & Chris Neubourg & Jonathan Bradshaw, 2014. "Child Well-Being in Advanced Economies in the Late 2000s," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 247-283, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    child well-being; measurement; composite indices;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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