Psychological Well-Being of Only Children: Evidence from the One-Child Policy

Park Albert () and Wu Lingwei ()
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Park Albert: Department of Economics and Division of Social Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
Wu Lingwei: School of Economics, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of International Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China

The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 2025, vol. 25, issue 3, 745-769

Abstract: This paper examines the effect of growing up as an only child on individual psychological well-being. Using national survey data – the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we employ the Kessler-6 scale to measure psychological well-being. Considering family fertility decisions are made endogenously, we use the instrumental variable (IV) strategy using both regional and cohort variations generated by the One-Child Policy in China. Our results show that being an only child as a result of the One-Child Policy is associated with a higher level of psychological distress.

Keywords: only children; siblings; psychological well-being; one-child policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2024-0268

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