Number of Children and Late-Life Depression: Evidence From Chinese Family Planning Policy

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Abstract

Drawing on the natural experiment of the family planning policy implemented in the 1970s in China that has affected the number of children one is allowed to have, this research investigates the effect of the number of children on risks of depression in old age (60 and above). Specifically, I exploit the temporal and ethnic variations in fertility rates created exogenously by the family planning policy to construct difference-in-differences estimates. I find that having fewer children significantly reduces risks of late-life depression, which rebuts the conventional view that having fewer children means a higher risk of late-life depression. Additionally, this study finds that social engagement modifies the relationship between number of children and late-life mental health, with older adults with active social engagement benefitting more from having fewer children. Taken together, these findings promote a better understanding of intergenerational relationships and late-life mental health in an aging and low-fertility era that characterizes many countries nowadays.

Author

• Yue Qin