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Direct and indirect impacts of parenthood on happiness

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  • Edsel Beja

Abstract

There is an unfavorable evaluation of parenthood whenever the negative indirect impact of parenthood on happiness exceeds the positive direct impact of parenthood on happiness. This situation is also the result of a conflation of these two different effects of parenthood. Public policy can help reinforce the intrinsic meaning of parenthood and reduce the adverse impacts of parenthood on the life domains. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Edsel Beja, 2015. "Direct and indirect impacts of parenthood on happiness," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 62(4), pages 307-318, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:inrvec:v:62:y:2015:i:4:p:307-318
    DOI: 10.1007/s12232-015-0231-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Milovanska-Farrington, Stefani & Farrington, Stephen, 2021. "More and none? Children and parental well-being: A bimodal outcome from an instrumental variable approach," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(3), pages 225-243.
    2. Pachara Pimpawatin & Nopphol Witvorapong, 2023. "Direct and Indirect Effects of Parenthood on Later-Life Happiness: Evidence from Older Adults in Thailand," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 249-266, June.
    3. Beja, Edsel Jr., 2016. "Subjective Well-Being Approach to Valuing Unemployment: Direct and Indirect Cost," MPRA Paper 101080, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Parenthood; Happiness; Life domain; A12; D10; I31; J10;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General

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