A Family Affair: Job Loss and the Mental Health of Spouses and Adolescents
Survey
HILDA
Author(s)
Date Issued
2014-10
Publisher
IZA
Pages
52
Keywords
involuntary job loss
mental health
adolescents
unemployment
families
spouses
HILDA Survey
Abstract
This study examines the impact of involuntary job loss on the mental health of family members. Estimates from fixed-effects panel data models, using panel data for Australia, provide little evidence of any negative spillover effect on the mental health of husbands as a result of their wives’ job loss. The mental well-being of wives, however, declines following their husbands’ job loss, but only if that job loss results in a sustained period of nonemployment or if the couple experienced financial hardship or relationship strain prior to the husband’s job loss. A negative effect of parental job loss on the mental health of co-resident adolescent children is also found, but appears to be restricted to girls.
External resource (Link)
Subject Keywords
DSS Main category
Type
Reports and technical papers
