(Breaking) Intergenerational Transmission of Mental Health

Notes: The table uses two different samples: the full population of children born in Norway between 1988 and 2007, for whom health is measured and parents are observed (Columns 1 and 2), and the subsample of children included in our main analyses (Columns 3 and 4). For each sample, the table shows means (and standard deviations) of background and health characteristics. Children’s GP or ER visits and related diagnoses and treatments are measured between ages 13 and 18, and parents’ health is measured between ages 25 and 30. MH denotes mental health.

Notes: The outcome is an indicator that takes the value of one if the child had a primary healthcare visit with a mental-health-related symptom or diagnosis, and zero otherwise. The independent variables take value one if a parent or a relative has had a sick leave due to mental health symptoms or diagnoses, and zero otherwise. Outcome variables are multiplied by 100. Child health is measured at ages 13–18, while parental health is measured at ages 25–30. One observation per parent–child pair in all regressions. Controls included in the regressions but excluded from the table are indicators for the number of maternal and paternal siblings, siblings’ spouses, cousins, spouses of cousins, and siblings of spouses of parents’ siblings, gender of the child, fixed effects for the year of birth and for the year when the child is first observed in the primary healthcare data (KHUR), and indicators for whether it is possible to identify in the data each grandparent and great-grandparent. MH denotes mental health, while OH denotes non-mental health events. Eicker–Huber–White robust standard errors in parentheses. Significance: ^*p < 0.10, ^**p < 0.05, ^***p < 0.01.

Notes: The outcome is the (standardized) number of primary healthcare visits with a mental-health-related symptom or diagnosis in Columns 1–7. The independent variables are the (standardized) number of sick leaves due to mental health symptoms or diagnoses per dynastic category in Columns 1–7. In Column 8 the outcome is the number of primary healthcare visits with a mental-health-related symptom or diagnosis and the independent variables are the average number of sick leaves due to mental health symptoms or diagnoses per dynastic category. Child health is measured at ages 13–18 while parental health is measured at ages 25–30. One observation per parent–child pair in all regressions. Controls included in the regressions but excluded from the table are indicators for the number of maternal and paternal siblings, siblings’ spouses, cousins, spouses of cousins, and siblings of spouses of parents’ siblings, gender of the child, fixed effects for the year of birth and for the year when the child is first observed in the primary healthcare data (KHUR), and indicators for whether it is possible to identify in the data each grandparent and great-grandparent. MH denotes mental health, while OH denotes non-mental health events. Eicker–Huber–White robust standard errors in parentheses. Significance: ^*p < 0.10, ^**p < 0.05, ^***p < 0.01.

Notes: The outcome is the (standardized) number of primary healthcare visits with a non-mental-health related symptom or diagnosis. The independent variables are the (standardized) number of sick leaves due to non-mental health symptoms or diagnoses per dynastic category. Child health is measured at ages 13–18, while parental health is measured at ages 25–30. One observation per parent–child pair in all regressions. Controls included in the regressions but excluded from the table are indicators for the number of maternal and paternal siblings, siblings’ spouses, cousins, spouses of cousins, and siblings of spouses of parents’ siblings, gender of the child, fixed effects for the year of birth and for the year when the child is first observed in the primary healthcare data (KHUR), and indicators for whether it is possible to identify in the data each grandparent and great-grandparent. MH denotes mental health while OH denotes non-mental health events. Eicker–Huber–White robust standard errors in parentheses. Significance: ^*p < 0.10, ^**p < 0.05, ^***p < 0.01.

Notes: The outcome is the (standardized) GPA in the final year (Grade 10) of compulsory schooling. Education in the parents’ generations is measured as standardized years of schooling. One observation per parent–child pair in all regressions. Controls included in the regressions but excluded from the table are indicators for the number of maternal and paternal siblings, siblings’ spouses, cousins, spouses of cousins, and siblings of spouses of parents’ siblings, gender of the child, fixed effects for the year of birth and for the year when the child is first observed in the primary healthcare data (KHUR), and indicators for whether it is possible to identify in the data each grandparent and great-grandparent. MH denotes mental health, while OH denotes non-mental health events. Eicker–Huber–White robust standard errors in parentheses. Significance: ^*p < 0.10, ^**p < 0.05, ^***p < 0.01.

Notes: This table presents robustness checks for the result from Column 6 of Table 3. Column 1 replicates this result, Column 2 drops all control variables, Column 3 replicates Column 1 additionally controlling for fixed effects for the number of primary care (PC) visits, Column 4 further adds controls for determinants of selection (Online Appendix Tables A8 and A9), Column 5 further adds individual level controls (birth weight, birth order, indicators for mother’s and father’s age at the time of child’s birth, and fixed effects for mother’s municipality of residence at the time of child’s birth), Column 6 further adds middle school-by-cohort fixed effects, Column 7 replicates Column 5 but adds the child’s GP fixed effects, and finally Column 8 replicates the results from Column 1 but measures parental mental health events at ages 30–35 rather than 25–30. MH denotes mental health. Eicker–Huber–White robust standard errors in parentheses. Significance: ^*p < 0.10, ^**p < 0.05, ^***p < 0.01.

Notes: This table presents robustness checks for the result from Column 6 of Table 4. Column 1 replicates this result, Column 2 drops all control variables, Column 3 replicates Column 1 additionally controlling for fixed effects for the number of primary care (PC) visits, Column 4 further adds controls for determinants of selection (Online Appendix Tables A8 and A9), Column 5 further adds individual level controls (birth weight, birth order, indicators for mother’s and father’s age at the time of child’s birth, and fixed effects for mother’s municipality of residence at the time of child’s birth), Column 6 further adds middle school-by-cohort fixed effects, Column 7 replicates Column 5 but adds child’s GP fixed effects, and finally Column 8 replicates the results from Column 1 but measures parental mental health events at ages 30–35 rather than 25–30. MH denotes mental health. Eicker–Huber–White robust standard errors in parentheses. Significance: ^*p < 0.10, ^**p < 0.05, ^***p < 0.01.