The Effect of Family Disruption on Children's Personality Development: Evidence from British Longitudinal Data

48 Pages Posted: 30 Dec 2014

See all articles by Tyas Prevoo

Tyas Prevoo

Maastricht University

Bas ter Weel

University of Amsterdam - SEO Economic Research; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Abstract

This research documents the effects of different forms of family disruptions – measured by separation, divorce and death – on personality development of British children included in the 1970 British Cohort Study. There are statistically significant correlations between family disruptions prior to the age of 16 and personality development in early childhood. Parental divorce has the largest negative effect on a child's personality development. Family disruptions have smaller effects on personality development when children are older and patterns differ by gender. The relationship between personality development and family disruption is partially driven by selection. Placebo regressions reveal significant correlations between family disruption and personality development before disruption. The omitted variable bias is mitigated by investigating mechanisms through which the selection operates.

Keywords: family disruption, personality development

JEL Classification: J12, J24

Suggested Citation

Prevoo, Tyas and ter Weel, Bas, The Effect of Family Disruption on Children's Personality Development: Evidence from British Longitudinal Data. IZA Discussion Paper No. 8712, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2543906 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2543906

Tyas Prevoo (Contact Author)

Maastricht University ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, Limburg 6200MD
Netherlands

Bas Ter Weel

University of Amsterdam - SEO Economic Research ( email )

Roetersstraat 29
Amsterdam, 1018 WB
Netherlands

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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