Evaluative and hedonic wellbeing among those with and without children at home.

ABSTRACT: We document and interpret differences in life evaluation and in hedonic experience between those who live with children and those who do not; most previous literature has concluded that those with children have worse lives. For a sample of 1.8 million Americans of all ages, and without controls for other circumstances, we find little difference in subjective wellbeing between people with and without children. Among those most likely to be parents, life evaluation and all hedonic experiences except stress are markedly better among those living with a child. However, within this group, people who live with children are more likely to be married, richer, better educated, more religious, and healthier, all of which have well-documented positive associations with evaluative and hedonic wellbein

SUBMITTER: Deaton A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3910586 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature