There is mixed evidence in the existing literature on whether children are associated with greater subjective well-being, with the correlation depending on which countries and populations are considered. We here provide a systematic analysis of this question based on three different datasets: two cross-national and one national panel. We show that the association between children and subjective well-being is positive only in developed countries, and for those who become parents after the age of 30 and who have higher income. We also provide evidence of a positive selection into parenthood, whereby happier individuals are more likely to have children. ? 2016, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

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1 August 2016

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European Journal of Population 32(3) , pp.445-473, 2016

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DOI: 10.1007/s10680-016-9389-x

https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01383781

This Journal article is published under the centre's Community Wellbeing programme.