Happy People Have Children: Choice and Self-Selection into Parenthood

Journal article: There is mixed evidence in the existing literature on whether children are associated with greater subjective well-being, with the correlation depending on which countries and populations are considered. We here provide a systematic analysis of this question based on three different datasets: two cross-national and one national panel. We show that the association between children and subjective well-being is positive only in developed countries, and for those who become parents after the age of 30 and who have higher income. We also provide evidence of a positive selection into parenthood, whereby happier individuals are more likely to have children.

Author(s)

Sophie Cetre, Andrew E. Clark, Claudia Senik

Journal
  • European Journal of Population
Date of publication
  • 2016
Keywords
  • Happiness
  • Fertility
  • Children
  • Income
  • Selection
Pages
  • 445 – 473
Version
  • 1
Volume
  • 32