The Effect of Childhood Conduct Disorder on Human Capital

37 Pages Posted: 29 Jun 2010 Last revised: 16 Apr 2023

See all articles by Pierre Koning

Pierre Koning

CPB Netherlands Bureau of Economic Policy Analysis

H. Dinand Webbink

University of Amsterdam - Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB)

Suncica Vujic

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, School of Business and Economics

Nicholas G. Martin

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Abstract

This paper estimates the longer-term effects of childhood conduct disorder on human capital accumulation and violent and criminal behaviour later in life using data of Australian twins. We measure conduct disorder with a rich set of indicators based on diagnostic criteria from psychiatry. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) and twin fixed effects (FE) estimation approaches, we find that early (pre-18) conduct disorder problems significantly affect both human capital accumulation and violent and criminal behaviour over the life course. In addition, we find that conduct disorder is more deleterious if these behaviours occur earlier in life.

Keywords: twins, conduct disorder, human capital

JEL Classification: I1, I2, K42

Suggested Citation

Koning, Pierre and Webbink, H. Dinand and Vujic, Suncica and Martin, Nicholas G., The Effect of Childhood Conduct Disorder on Human Capital. IZA Discussion Paper No. 4940, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1631075 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1631075

Pierre Koning (Contact Author)

CPB Netherlands Bureau of Economic Policy Analysis ( email )

P.O. Box 80510
2508 GM The Hague, 2585 JR
Netherlands
+31 703383380 (Phone)
+31 703383350 (Fax)

H. Dinand Webbink

University of Amsterdam - Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) ( email )

Roetersstraat 11
Amsterdam, 1018 WB
Netherlands

Suncica Vujic

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, School of Business and Economics ( email )

De Boelelaan 1105
Amsterdam, 1081HV
Netherlands
+31(0)551 3555 (Fax)

Nicholas G. Martin

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

300 Herston Rd
Herston QLD, 4006
Australia

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