###  Are happiness and productivity lower among young people with newly-divorced parents? : an experimental and econometric approach 

Proto, EugenioSgroi, Daniel and Oswald, Andrew J. . (2012) _Are happiness and productivity lower among young people with newly-divorced parents? : an experimental and econometric approach._ Experimental Economics, Vol.15 (No.1). pp. 1-23. ISSN 1386-4157 

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10683-011-9285-5

## Abstract

High rates of divorce in western society have prompted much research on the repercussions for well-being and the economy. Yet little is known about the important topic of whether parental divorce has deleterious consequences upon adult children. By combining experimental and econometric survey-based evidence, this study attempts to provide an answer. Under controlled conditions, it measures university students’ subjective well-being and productivity (in a standardized laboratory task). It finds no evidence that either of these is negatively associated with recent parental divorce. If anything, happiness and productivity appear to be slightly greater, particularly among males, if their parents have divorced. Using longitudinal data from the British Household Panel Survey—to control for so-called fixed effects—we then cross-check this result, and confirm the same finding, on various random samples of young British adults.

Item Type: |  Journal Article   
---|---  
Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman  
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology  
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics  
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Adult children of divorced parents -- Mental health, Adult children of divorced parents -- Education, Educational productivity, Happiness -- Testing  
Journal or Publication Title: | Experimental Economics  
Publisher: | Springer New York LLC  
ISSN: | 1386-4157  
Official Date: | March 2012  
Dates: | | Date| Event  
---|---  
March 2012| Published  
Volume: | Vol.15  
Number: | No.1  
Page Range: | pp. 1-23  
Identifier: | 10.1007/s10683-011-9285-5   
Status: | Peer Reviewed  
Publication Status: | Published  
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access  
Funder: | Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC), Leverhulme Trust (LT)  
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URI: | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/39055