The Origins of Happiness

Chapter 3

Table 3.5. How highest qualification (standardized) is affected by

childhood outcomes and family background (British Cohort Study)

Units β- coefficients

RH variables

unstandardized

Intellectual
performance
(16)

1, 0 0.33 (.01) 0.94 (.03)

Behavior (16) SD (index) 0.06 (.01) 0.06 (.01)

Emotional
health (16)

SD (index) 0.01 (.01) 0.01 (.01)

Family income Ln 0.10 (.01) 0.21 (.03)

Parents’
education

Age 0.19 (.02) 0.10 (.01)

Father’s
unemployment

Fraction of

waves

−0.05 (.01) −0.29 (.06)

Mother’s
employment

Fraction of

waves

−0.03 (.01) −0.08 (.04)

Parental
involvement

SD (index) 0.04 (.01) 0.04 (.01)

Family break- up 1, 0 −0.02 (.01) −0.05 (.03)

Mother’s mental
health

SD (index) 0.03 (.01) 0.03 (.01)

Number of
siblings

Number −0.03 (.01) −0.03 (.01)

Postmarital
conception

1, 0 0.02 (.01) 0.08 (.04)

Female 1, 0 0.02 (.01) 0.04 (.02)

Ethnicity: white 1, 0 −0.05 (.01) −0.33 (.09)

Low birth
weight

1, 0 −0.02 (.01) −0.07 (.05)

Observations 8,943 8,943

R^2 0.232 0.232