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Children, Unhappiness and Family Finances

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew E. Clark

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • David Blanchflower

    (Dartmouth College [Hanover], NBER - National Bureau of Economic Research [New York] - NBER - The National Bureau of Economic Research)

Abstract

The common finding of a zero or negative correlation between the presence of children and parental well-being continues to generate research interest. We consider international data, including well over one million observations on Europeans from 11 years of Eurobarometer surveys. We first replicate this negative finding, both in the overall data and then for most different marital statuses. Children are expensive: controlling for financial difficulties turns our estimated child coefficients positive. We argue that difficulties paying the bills explain the pattern of existing results by parental education and income and by country income and social support. Last, we underline that not all children are the same, with stepchildren commonly having a more negative correlation with well-being than children from the current relationship.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew E. Clark & David Blanchflower, 2021. "Children, Unhappiness and Family Finances," Post-Print halshs-02973082, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-02973082
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-020-00798-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Eiji Yamamura & Fumio Ohtake, 2024. "Family structure, gender, and subjective well-being: effect of children before and after COVID-19 in Japan," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 611-635, December.
    2. David G. Blanchflower & Alex Bryson, 2024. "The female happiness paradox," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 1-27, March.
    3. Huebener, Mathias & Odermatt, Reto, 2025. "The Wished-For Children: Do Mothers Carry the Burden While Fathers Reap the Joy?," IZA Discussion Papers 18039, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. David G. Blanchflower & Carol L. Graham, 2022. "The Mid-Life Dip in Well-Being: a Critique," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 287-344, May.
    5. Andrew E. Clark & Hippolyte d’Albis & Angela Greulich, 2021. "The age U-shape in Europe: the protective role of partnership," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 19(1), pages 293-318.
    6. Anqi Li & Shiko Maruyama, 2024. "Who suffered most in the pandemic? A distribution regression analysis of happiness in Japan," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 637-690, December.
    7. Lisa A. Gennetian & Anna Gassman-Pines, 2023. "The Effects of the 2021 Child Tax Credit on Parents’ Psychological Well-Being," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 710(1), pages 124-140, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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