Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Paper Series,
Stockholm University, Swedish Institute for Social Research

No 4/2004: Parental Separation and Children's Educational Attainment: A Siblings Analysis on Swedish Register Data

Anders Björklund () and Marianne Sundström ()
Additional contact information
Anders Björklund: Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Postal: SOFI, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Marianne Sundström: Swedish Institute for Social Research, Stockholm University, Postal: AKPA, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: This article analyzes whether the commonly found negative relationship between parental separation in childhood and educational outcomes is causal or mainly due to selection. We use data on about 100,000 Swedish full biological siblings, born in 1948-63, and perform cross-section and sibling-difference estimations. Outcomes are measured as educational attainment in 1996. Our cross-section analysis show the expected negative and significant relationship, while the relationship is not significant, though precisely estimated, in the sibling-difference analysis. This finding was robust to the sensitivity tests performed and is consistent with selection, rather than causation, being the explanation for the negative relationship. JEL Classification: Keywords:

Keywords: divorce; child welfare; siblings estimators

JEL-codes: I20; I30; J12

30 pages, April 26, 2004

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