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Parenting Skills and Selection into Fatherhood

Author

Listed:
  • Aldén, Lina

    (Department of Economics and Statistics, Linnaeus University)

  • Boschini, Anne

    (Swedish Institute for Social Research)

Abstract

As women’s earnings have risen and parental leave policies expanded, social expectations for paternal involvement have grown, potentially shifting the basis of fatherhood from economic provision toward parenting skills. Using Swedish administrative data and a sibling fixed-effects design, we find that non-cognitive ability, a key dimension of parenting skills, has become a stronger predictor of fatherhood over time among men with comparable earnings and marital histories. Exploiting a 2002 reform that expanded reserved paternity leave, we further demonstrate that heightened expectations for paternal involvement amplified this selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Aldén, Lina & Boschini, Anne, 2026. "Parenting Skills and Selection into Fatherhood," SOFI Working Papers in Labour Economics 9/2026, Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sofile:2026_009
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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