TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of parental smoking on children's cognitive and non-cognitive skills
AU - Srivastava, Preety
AU - Trinh, Trong-Anh
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Economic research emphasises the importance of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in children for long-term labour market, health and social outcomes. In contrast to previous studies that focus on the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy, we contribute to the literature by examining whether parental current smoking impacts on children's cognitive and non-cognitive development. We exploit data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and address potential endogeneity and self-selectivity bias using robust estimation methods. Overall, we find evidence that parental smoking results in worse development outcomes in children. Specifically, our fixed-effects estimates indicate that children living with parents who are smokers exhibit lower cognitive outcomes ranging between 0.09 and 0.17 standard deviation, while the impacts on non-cognitive outcomes range between 0.06 and 0.80 standard deviation. We also provide insights on some of the mechanisms of transmission. Our findings suggest that campaigns, programs and policies that reduce tobacco consumption may have positive externalities in terms of improving children's cognitive and non-cognitive development, and long-term labour market outcomes.
AB - Economic research emphasises the importance of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in children for long-term labour market, health and social outcomes. In contrast to previous studies that focus on the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy, we contribute to the literature by examining whether parental current smoking impacts on children's cognitive and non-cognitive development. We exploit data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and address potential endogeneity and self-selectivity bias using robust estimation methods. Overall, we find evidence that parental smoking results in worse development outcomes in children. Specifically, our fixed-effects estimates indicate that children living with parents who are smokers exhibit lower cognitive outcomes ranging between 0.09 and 0.17 standard deviation, while the impacts on non-cognitive outcomes range between 0.06 and 0.80 standard deviation. We also provide insights on some of the mechanisms of transmission. Our findings suggest that campaigns, programs and policies that reduce tobacco consumption may have positive externalities in terms of improving children's cognitive and non-cognitive development, and long-term labour market outcomes.
KW - Cognitive
KW - Endogeneity
KW - Human capital development
KW - Non-cognitive
KW - Parental smoking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101418584&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.100978
DO - 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.100978
M3 - Article
C2 - 33610090
AN - SCOPUS:85101418584
SN - 1570-677X
VL - 41
JO - Economics and Human Biology
JF - Economics and Human Biology
M1 - 100978
ER -