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The Effect of Non-Cognitive Traits on Health Behaviours in Adolescence

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  • Mendolia, Silvia

    (University of Torino)

  • Walker, Ian

    (Lancaster University)

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between personality traits in adolescence and health behaviours using a large and recent cohort study. In particular, we investigate the impact of locus of control, self-esteem and conscientiousness at age 15-16, on the incidence of health behaviours such as: alcohol consumption; cannabis and other drug use; unprotected and early sexual activity; and sports and physical activity. We use matching methods to control for a very rich set of adolescent and family characteristics and we find that personality traits do affect health behaviours. In particular, individuals with external locus of control, or with low self-esteem, or with low levels of conscientiousness are more likely to engage in health-risky behaviours.

Suggested Citation

  • Mendolia, Silvia & Walker, Ian, 2013. "The Effect of Non-Cognitive Traits on Health Behaviours in Adolescence," IZA Discussion Papers 7301, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7301
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    Cited by:

    1. Green, Colin P. & Wilson, Luke B. & Zhang, Anwen, 2023. "Beauty, underage drinking, and adolescent risky behaviours," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 153-166.
    2. Mendolia, Silvia & Paloyo, Alfredo R. & Walker, Ian, 2018. "The Effect of Religiosity on Adolescent Risky Behaviors," IZA Discussion Papers 11566, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Attanasio, Orazio & Blundell, Richard & Conti, Gabriella & Mason, Giacomo, 2020. "Inequality in socio-emotional skills: A cross-cohort comparison," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    4. Adamecz-Völgyi, Anna & Henderson, Morag & Shure, Nikki, 2021. "Intergenerational Educational Mobility – The Role of Non-cognitive Skills," IZA Discussion Papers 14580, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Marco Caliendo & Juliane Hennecke, 2022. "Drinking is different! Examining the role of locus of control for alcohol consumption," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(5), pages 2785-2815, November.
    6. Mesplé-Somps, Sandrine & Nilsson, Björn, 2023. "Role models, aspirations and desire to migrate," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 819-839.
    7. Kane, Jennifer B. & Harris, Kathleen Mullan & Siega-Riz, Anna Maria, 2018. "Intergenerational pathways linking maternal early life adversity to offspring birthweight," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 89-96.
    8. Gabriella Conti, 2013. "The Developmental Origins of Health Inequality," Research on Economic Inequality, in: Health and Inequality, volume 21, pages 285-309, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    9. Maclean, Johanna Catherine & Hill, Terrence D., 2015. "Leaving school in an economic downturn and self-esteem across early and middle adulthood," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 1-12.
    10. Caliendo, Marco & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Hennecke, Juliane & Uhlendorff, Arne, 2019. "Locus of control and internal migration," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    11. Bryan C. McCannon & John Stevens, 2017. "Role of personality style on bargaining outcomes," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 44(9), pages 1166-1196, September.
    12. Colin Green & Luke Wilson & Anwen Zhang, 2019. "Beauty and Adolescent Risky Behaviours," Working Paper Series 18019, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
    13. Anna Adamecz & Morag Henderson & Nikki Shure, 2024. "Intergenerational educational mobility – The role of non-cognitive skills," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 59-78, January.
    14. Petter Lundborg & Anton Nilsson & Dan-Olof Rooth, 2016. "The health-schooling relationship: evidence from Swedish twins," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(4), pages 1191-1215, October.
    15. Chih‐Sheng Hsieh & Hans van Kippersluis, 2018. "Smoking initiation: Peers and personality," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 9(2), pages 825-863, July.
    16. Caliendo, Marco & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Hennecke, Juliane & Uhlendorff, Arne, 2019. "Locus of control and internal migration," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    17. Cobb-Clark, Deborah A. & Dahmann, Sarah C. & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Schildberg-Hörisch, Hannah, 2023. "Self-control and unhealthy body weight: The role of impulsivity and restraint," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    self-esteem; locus of control; personality; health behaviours;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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