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The Short- and Long-Term Effects of Student Absence: Evidence from Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Cattan, Sarah

    (Institute for Fiscal Studies, London)

  • Kamhöfer, Daniel A.

    (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)

  • Karlsson, Martin

    (University of Duisburg-Essen)

  • Nilsson, Therese

    (Lund University)

Abstract

Instructional time is seen as an important determinant of school performance, but little is known about the effects of student absence. Combining historical records and administrative data for Swedish individuals born in the 1930s, we examine the impacts of absence in elementary school on short-term academic performance and long-term socio-economic outcomes. Our siblings and individual fixed effects estimates suggest absence has a moderate adverse effect on academic performance. The detrimental effect fades out over time. While absence negatively correlates with final education, income and longevity, we only find robust evidence that it lowers the probability of employment at age 25–30.

Suggested Citation

  • Cattan, Sarah & Kamhöfer, Daniel A. & Karlsson, Martin & Nilsson, Therese, 2017. "The Short- and Long-Term Effects of Student Absence: Evidence from Sweden," IZA Discussion Papers 10995, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp10995
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    2. Abrahamsen, Signe A. & Ginja, Rita & Riise, Julie, 2021. "School Health Programs: Education, Health, and Welfare Dependency of Young Adults," IZA Discussion Papers 14546, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Sonia Bhalotra & Martin Karlsson & Therese Nilsson & Nina Schwarz, 2022. "Infant Health, Cognitive Performance, and Earnings: Evidence from Inception of the Welfare State in Sweden," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 104(6), pages 1138-1156, November.
    4. Petter Lundborg & Dan-Olof Rooth & Jesper Alex-Petersen, 2022. "Long-Term Effects of Childhood Nutrition: Evidence from a School Lunch Reform," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(2), pages 876-908.
    5. Andronis, Lazaros & Maredza, Mandy & Petrou, Stavros, 2019. "Measuring, valuing and including forgone childhood education and leisure time costs in economic evaluation: Methods, challenges and the way forward," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Bryan, M.; & Roberts, J.; & Sechel, C.;, 2019. "The Effect of Mental Health on Employment:Accounting for Selection Bias," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 19/14, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    7. Callison, Kevin & Schiman, Cuiping & Schiman, Jeffrey C., 2021. "Smoking cessation and weight gain: Evidence from China," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    8. Mara Barschkett, 2022. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children’s Health," Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers 0005, Berlin School of Economics.
    9. Barschkett, Mara, 2023. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children's Health," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277588, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    long-term effects; educational performance; absence in school; register data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education

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