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Relative Income, the Breadwinner Norm, and Mental Health in Couples

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  • Getik, Demid

    (Department of Economics, Lund University)

Abstract

The share of couples where the wife out-earns the husband is increasing in many countries. In this paper, I investigate how this income dynamic affects mental health. Using data on all Swedish couples who married in 2001, I show that mental health is positively associated with own and spousal income. However, it is negatively linked to the wife’s relative income. Crossing the threshold where the wife starts earning more increases the likelihood of a mental health diagnosis by 8-12 per cent. This effect does not appear driven by divorce or spouses being on different income trajectories.

Suggested Citation

  • Getik, Demid, 2022. "Relative Income, the Breadwinner Norm, and Mental Health in Couples," Working Papers 2022:10, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lunewp:2022_010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender; mental health; income; relative income;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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