The kid's speech: The effect of stuttering on human capital acquisition

Daniel Rees and Joseph J. Sabia

Economics of Education Review, 2014, vol. 38, issue C, 76-88

Abstract: A number of studies have shown that childhood speech disorders such as stuttering are associated with lower test scores and educational attainment. However, it is unclear whether these associations are causal in nature or whether they can be explained by difficult-to-measure heterogeneity at the community, family, or individual level. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and ordinary least squares, we show that stuttering is negatively associated with high school grades, the probability of high school graduation, and the probability of college attendance. However, empirical specifications with family fixed effects or controls for learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder suggest that these associations can, in large part, be explained by difficult-to-measure heterogeneity.

Keywords: Speech disorder; Stuttering; Human capital; Educational attainment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 I20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Working Paper: The Kid's Speech: The Effect of Stuttering on Human Capital Acquisition (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:38:y:2014:i:c:p:76-88

DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2013.07.007

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