Teenage Daughters as a Cause of Divorce

CentER Discussion Paper Series No. 2017-042

87 Pages Posted: 12 Oct 2017

See all articles by Jan Kabatek

Jan Kabatek

University of Melbourne - Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research; IZA; Netspar

David C. Ribar

University of Melbourne

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: October 12, 2017

Abstract

Evidence from the U.S. that couples with daughters are more likely to divorce than couples with sons has not been found for other Western countries. Using 1995-2015 Dutch marriage registry data, we show that daughters are associated with higher divorce risks, but only when they are 13 to 18 years old. There are no detectable gender differences before or after those ages. These age-specific findings are at odds with son-preference and selection explanations for differences in divorce risks. Instead, the findings point to explanations which involve family relationship dynamics associated with teenage sons and daughters. We find supporting evidence of relationship explanations in supplemental analyses of Dutch survey data. We also find that teenage daughters are associated with higher divorce in the U.S. in analyses of the Current Population Survey Marriage and Fertility Supplements.

Keywords: Marriage, divorce, gender, son preference, Netherlands, registry data

JEL Classification: J12, J13, J16

Suggested Citation

Kabatek, Jan and Ribar, David C., Teenage Daughters as a Cause of Divorce (October 12, 2017). CentER Discussion Paper Series No. 2017-042, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3051666 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3051666

Jan Kabatek (Contact Author)

University of Melbourne - Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research ( email )

Level 5, FBE Building, 111 Barry Street
Parkville, Victoria 3010
Australia

IZA ( email )

Netspar ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

David C. Ribar

University of Melbourne ( email )

+61 3 8344 2794 (Phone)

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