Effects of spacing and sibship size on adult earnings : Results from a propensity score analysis on a population-based cohort

• Research has shown that the sibling constellation impacts on adult life chances. The outcomes commonly investigated are education and various forms of psychological factors such as cognitive ability. In this study we investigate an outcome relatively few have studied before – adult earnings. Three different sibling constellations are in focus: 1) being an only child, 2) having many siblings, and 3) close birth spacing between siblings. The national context is Sweden, and the study is based on administrative data, including all individuals born in the country in 1973. The outcome variable is mean labour market earnings from age 33 to 35. Using propensity score matching, we show that individuals having grown up with more than two siblings have substantially lower earnings in adulthood than those with fewer siblings. However, no significant difference was found between individuals having a closely spaced sibling and those who do not have closely spaced siblings. We also could not find any differences between only children and children with siblings.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Propensity score matching

siblings

earnings

Sociology

sociologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)