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Correlational findings

Study Myrskyla & Margolis (2014): study GB 1991

Public
New parents, United Kingdom, followed before and after first child, 1991 - 2008
Survey name
UK-BHPS combined waves
Sample
Respondents
N = 2698
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face

Correlate

Authors's Label
Time before/after the childbirth
Our Classification
Related specification variables
Operationalization
Time before/after childbirth
T1: 4-5 years before (= reference)
T2: 2-3 years before
T3: 1 year before
T4: Year of childbirth
T5: 1-2 years after
T6: 3-4 years after
T7: 5-9 years after
T8: 10-15/18 years after

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e = CHANGE happiness since T1 O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.05 ns T1-T2: 2-3 years before O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.44 p < .001 T1-T3: 1 year before O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.39 p < .001 T1-T4: First child born O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.07 ns T1-T5: 1-2 years after O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.06 ns T1-T6: 3-4 years after O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.13 ns T1-T7: 5-9 years after O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = +.21 ns T1-T8: 10-15/18 years after

Fixed-effects controlled for:
- age
- period dummies O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b-fix = By AGE groups:
a: 18-22
b: 23-34
c: 35-49

b-fix controls for:
- age
- period dummies
- fixed effects for individuals O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e = By SEX:
a: Men
b: Women

b-fix controls for:a
- age
- period dummies
- fixed effects for individuals O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e = By MARITAL STATUS
a: Unmarried
b: Married

b-fix controls for:
- age
- period dummies
- fixed effects for individuals O-SLW-u-sq-n-7-e b = OLS regression analyses were performed and yielded similar results. The main difference between the OLS and the FE models is that the happiness increase in the years preceding birth and in the year of birth is somewhat stronger in the FE specification, and the decrease in post-birth decline is not quite as strong in the FE specification.