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Measuring the well being of children using a capability approach An application to Indian data

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  • Maria Laura Di Tommaso

Abstract

This paper aims at conceptualising the well being of children in developing countries using a capability approach and at measuring well being in a pilot study using a multiple indicator multiple causes model (MIMIC). First, the concept of capabilities for children is defined. Secondly the paper deals with issues related to measurement of functionings. The existence of multiple, inter-related functionings to measure children’s well being raises the question of how to combine them in empirical research. I use the richness of the capability approach and the information in all the indicators selected, to develop a MIMIC (Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes) model. Children well being is also assumed to be caused by other exogeneous variables like for instance gender of the child or income of the family. Lastly, I describe the data set used and provide a pilot empirical application of the MIMIC model.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Laura Di Tommaso, 2006. "Measuring the well being of children using a capability approach An application to Indian data," CHILD Working Papers wp05_06, CHILD - Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic economics - ITALY.
    • Handle: RePEc:wpc:wplist:wp05_06
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    File URL: http://www.child.carloalberto.org/images/wp/child05_2006.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria Laura Di Tommaso & I. Shima & S. Strøm & F. Bettio, 2007. "As bad as it gets: well being deprivation of sexually exploited trafficked women," CHILD Working Papers wp10_07, CHILD - Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic economics - ITALY.
    2. Tindara Addabbo & Gisella Facchinetti, 2013. "Fuzzy logic and the capability approach," Center for the Analysis of Public Policies (CAPP) 0106, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Economia "Marco Biagi".
    3. Koen Decancq & María Ana Lugo, 2013. "Weights in Multidimensional Indices of Wellbeing: An Overview," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 7-34, January.
    4. Tindara Addabbo & Maria Laura Di Tommaso & Anna Maccagnan, 2014. "Gender Differences in Italian Children's Capabilities," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 90-121, April.
    5. Tindara Addabbo & Maria Laura Di Tommaso, 2008. "Children capabilities and family characteristics in Italy," Center for the Analysis of Public Policies (CAPP) 0051, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Economia "Marco Biagi".
    6. Leßmann, Ortrud, 2011. "Empirische Studien zum Capability Ansatz auf der Grundlage von Befragungen: Ein Überblick," UFZ Discussion Papers 4/2011, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    7. Jaya Krishnakumar & A. Nagar, 2008. "On Exact Statistical Properties of Multidimensional Indices Based on Principal Components, Factor Analysis, MIMIC and Structural Equation Models," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 86(3), pages 481-496, May.
    8. Giulia Greco, 2018. "Setting the Weights: The Women’s Capabilities Index for Malawi," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 457-478, January.
    9. Nicola Walshe & Zoe Moula & Elsa Lee, 2022. "Eco-Capabilities as a Pathway to Wellbeing and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
    10. Deniz Sevinc, 2020. "How Poor is Poor? A novel look at multidimensional poverty in the UK," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 833-859, June.
    11. Koen Decancq & Maria Ana Lugo, 2008. "Setting Weights in Multidimensional Indices of Well-Being," OPHI Working Papers 18, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    12. Sepideh Yousefzadeh & Mario Biggeri & Caterina Arciprete & Hinke Haisma, 2019. "A Capability Approach to Child Growth," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(2), pages 711-731, April.
    13. Sebastián Waisgrais & Jorge A. Paz & Javier Curcio, 2017. "Medición y análisis multidimensionales del bienestar y la pobreza en niñas, niños y adolescentes en Argentina," Working Papers 17, Instituto de Estudios Laborales y del Desarrollo Económico (IELDE) - Universidad Nacional de Salta - Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Jurídicas y Sociales.
    14. Andreassen, Leif & Dagsvik, John & Di Tommaso, Maria Laura, 2013. "Measuring capabilities with random scale models. Women’s freedom of movement," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201334, University of Turin.
    15. Jorge A. Paz, 2018. "Vulneración de derechos materiales de niñas y niños en la Argentina. Nivel, estructura y brechas entre unidades subnacionales," Ensayos de Política Económica, Departamento de Investigación Francisco Valsecchi, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina., vol. 2(6), pages 93-125, Octubre.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capability Approach; Structural Equation Models; Children Well Being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C35 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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