CEP/LSE Press Release:
The Origins of Happiness: A book on the science of wellbeing over the life course
22 January 2018
Schools and individual teachers have a huge effect on the happiness of their children. Indeed, the school that children attend affects their happiness nearly as much as it affects their academic performance. What’s more, if we wish to predict which children will lead satisfying adult lives, the best indicator is their emotional health at age 16. This is more important than their academic qualifications right up to the age of 25 – and more important than their behaviour in childhood. These are among the findings of a new book by Professor Richard Layard and colleagues, which presents evidence on the origins of happiness drawing on unique survey data on over 100,000 individuals in Australia, Germany, the UK and the United States.