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on Economics of Happiness |
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Issue of 2026–08–24
four papers chosen by Viviana Di Giovinazzo, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca |
| By: | Clark, Andrew (Paris School of Economics); Lepinteur, Anthony (University of Luxembourg) |
| Abstract: | There are many estimates of the intergenerational transmission of income and education, even though these may be considered as only partial measures of individual welfare. We here analyse long-running UK panel data and directly consider the intergenerational transmission of two widely-used indicators of well-being, life satisfaction and psychological distress. We use the long-run nature of this panel data to construct parent–child dyads who are observed at the same age, and so avoid the life-cycle bias that appears in much existing work on intergenerational correlation. We find that well-being is transmitted across generations, but to a lesser extent than are income and education. Observed economic outcomes only slightly mediate this relationship, and the estimated transmission is similar across different types of parents and children. Exploiting the panel structure of the data, where both parents and their children are observed repeatedly over time, we show that well-being is transmitted across generations not only in levels, but also in terms of the way in which it changes over the life cycle. |
| Keywords: | life satisfaction, GHQ, intergenerational transmission, UK |
| JEL: | I31 I10 |
| Date: | 2026–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18760 |
| By: | Blanchflower, David (Dartmouth College) |
| Abstract: | I examine wellbeing and age in twenty advanced countries. Thirteen are from Northern Europe – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, plus the five other major English-speaking countries Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA and one from Latin America and one from Asia – Argentina and Indonesia. Two datasets are examined for the US, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Household Pulse Surveys along with ten international datasets - the Eurobarometers, Gallup World Poll, Come Here, the World Values Survey, International Social Survey Programme, the European Social Survey, the EU-SILC survey, the Global Flourishing Study and Global Minds surveys. There is very strong evidence since 2020 that youth wellbeing is low in all of these countries and for each of them is found no matter how the data was collected, whether by interviewer or online. The evidence is similar whether happiness or unhappiness measures are used. |
| Keywords: | youth, CATI, CAWI |
| JEL: | I31 |
| Date: | 2026–06 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18757 |
| By: | Anna Price (Centre for Community Child Health, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia); Ana Gamarra Rondinel (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research); M Ja Doi Nan (The University of Melbourne, Carlton VIC); Dongming Zhao (The University of Melbourne, Carlton VIC); Mary-Anne Measey (Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia); Tanja Capic (School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia) |
| Abstract: | Background: Household finances are a fundamental determinant of children’s and their caregivers’ health and wellbeing. However, little is known about how families’ financial hardship and wellbeing have evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether the experiences of caregivers differ from the general adult population. We hypothesised that caregivers of children would experience greater financial hardship than adults overall and that financial hardship would be consistently associated with poorer wellbeing. Methods: We analysed repeated cross-sectional data from three nationally representative Australian surveys conducted between 2020 and 2026: Taking the Pulse of the Nation (81, 057 adults; 23, 777 caregivers), Australian Unity Wellbeing Index (12, 080 adults; 2, 868 caregivers), and Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll (16, 047 caregivers). Financial hardship was measured using financial stress and material deprivation. Wellbeing was measured using mental health and life satisfaction. Weighted prevalence estimates, trend analyses, and adjusted logistic regression models were conducted. Results: Financial hardship and poor mental health remained common and relatively stable throughout the study period. Caregivers consistently experienced greater financial hardship than adults overall, whereas differences in wellbeing were smaller and less consistent. Financial hardship was strongly associated with poor mental health (8-33 percentage points) and low life satisfaction (11-31 percentage points). Conclusions: Financial hardship and poor wellbeing affected a substantial proportion of caregivers from 2020 to 2026. Affordability pressures continue to affect families in many high-income countries. Recognising and responding to financial hardship should form part of efforts to support caregiver wellbeing, family wellbeing, and healthy child development. |
| Keywords: | Financial hardship, Caregivers, Mental health, Wellbeing, Material deprivation, Life satisfaction. |
| JEL: | I31 I14 J13 |
| Date: | 2026–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2026n11 |
| By: | Ono, Takazumi; Costantini, Hiroko; Kumagaya, Shinichiro; Sugawara, Ikuko; Iijima, Katsuya; Nihei, Misato |
| Abstract: | Social relationships with surrounding people and an individual's autonomy are fundamental components of age-friendly community and long-term care (LTC). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Tolerance of Surroundings Scale (TSS) and Autonomy Scales (AS) among people with LTC needs. We distributed a self-administered questionnaire to four daycare/day-services facilities and three home-visit nurse stations in Japan. The TSS consists of 20 items under 4 factors and the AS includes 20 items based on 3 factors. These scales were previously validated in the Japanese general population. 259 people participated in the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated model fit for the TSS was good, whereas that for the AS was acceptable. In addition, explanatory factor analysis demonstrated that the AS had 2-factor structure specified for people with LTC. The regression coefficients for subjective well-being were 0.43 (95%CI 0.23, 0.62) and 0.73 (95%CI 0.50, 0.96), respectively. The alphas in the TSS and the AS ranged from 0.75 to 0.88, from 0.53 to 0.91, respectively. The alphas of the AS in first and second factors specified for people with LTC needs were 0.91 and 0.70, respectively. In conclusion, the TSS and the AS were valid and reliable in people with LTC needs. However, regarding the AS, different factor structures should be used (the structure in general population and that specified in people with LTC needs) depending on the purpose of the assessment. In addition, further studies to assess test-retest reliability and measurement error are needed. |
| Date: | 2026–07–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:td3gu_v1 |