How Does Parental Divorce Affect Children's Long-Term Outcomes?

43 Pages Posted: 20 Jun 2016

See all articles by Wolfgang Frimmel

Wolfgang Frimmel

University of Linz

Martin Halla

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Rudolf Winter-Ebmer

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics; Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) - Department of Economics & Finance; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Date Written: June 2016

Abstract

Numerous papers report a negative association between parental divorce and child outcomes. To provide evidence whether this correlation is driven by a causal effect, we exploit idiosyncratic variation in the extent of sexual integration in fathers'; workplaces: Fathers who encounter more women in their relevant age -- occupation -- group at the workplace are more likely to divorce. Further, this result is conditional upon the overall share of female co-workers in a firm. We find that parental divorce has persistent, and mostly negative, effects on children that differ significantly between boys and girls. Treated boys have lower levels of educational attainment and worse labor market outcomes and are more likely to die early. Treated girls also have lower levels of educational attainment, but they are also more likely to have children at an early age (especially during teenage years). However, treated girls experience almost no negative employment effects. The latter effect could be a direct consequence from the teenage motherhood, which may initiate an early entry to the labor market.

Keywords: children, Divorce, Fertility, Human Capital, workplace sexual integration

JEL Classification: D13, J12, J13, J24

Suggested Citation

Frimmel, Wolfgang and Halla, Martin and Winter-Ebmer, Rudolf, How Does Parental Divorce Affect Children's Long-Term Outcomes? (June 2016). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP11339, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2798128

Wolfgang Frimmel (Contact Author)

University of Linz ( email )

Altenbergerstr. 69
A-4040 Linz, Uper Austria 4040
Austria

Martin Halla

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics ( email )

Altenbergerstrasse 69
A-4040 Linz, 4040
Austria

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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

Rudolf Winter-Ebmer

Johannes Kepler University Linz - Department of Economics ( email )

Altenbergerstrasse 69
A-4040 Linz, 4040
Austria
+43 732 2468 8236 (Phone)
+43 732 2468 8238 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.jku.at/winter

Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) - Department of Economics & Finance ( email )

Stumpergasse 56
A-1060 Vienna, A-1060
Austria

HOME PAGE: http://www.ihs.ac.at

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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

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