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Heterogeneous spillover effects of children's education on parental mental health

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  • Everding, Jakob

Abstract

Despite extensive research on nonmarket returns to education, direct and spillover effects on mental health are widely unstudied. This study is the first to analyze heterogeneous intergenerational effects of children's education on parents' mental health. Given ambiguous theoretical implications, I explore potential mechanisms empirically. Using Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data, I estimate IV regressions, exploiting countrylevel variation in compulsory schooling reforms. Increasing children's education reduces parents' long-term probability of developing depression. Fathers and more educated sons drive this beneficial effect. Since mental illness is frequently undiagnosed, the findings may help improve elderly-specific health care provision.

Suggested Citation

  • Everding, Jakob, 2019. "Heterogeneous spillover effects of children's education on parental mental health," hche Research Papers 18, University of Hamburg, Hamburg Center for Health Economics (hche).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:hcherp:201918
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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