Parental Educational Attainment and Offspring Subjective Well-being and Self-Beliefs in Older Adulthood.

TitleParental Educational Attainment and Offspring Subjective Well-being and Self-Beliefs in Older Adulthood.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsSutin, AR, Stephan, Y, Terracciano, A
JournalPersonality and Individual Differences
Volume128
Pagination139-145
ISSN Number0191-8869
KeywordsEducation, Multigenerational, Self-perception, Subjective Expectations, Well-being
Abstract

This research examines whether parental educational attainment and subjective childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with adult offspring well-being and self-beliefs (broadly defined). Participants from the Health and Retirement Study were included if they completed the leave-behind questionnaire in 2006 or 2008 (=10,827;=68.38;=9.81; range=50-101). Participants reported on their own and both parents educational attainment, subjective childhood financial situation, and financial difficulties in childhood at study entry and on well-being in 2006/2008. Linear regression was used to examine the association between offspring education, parental education, childhood SES and three aspects of well-being and self-beliefs: positive affect (e.g., positive emotions, optimism), negative affect (e.g., loneliness, hostility), and cognitive evaluation (e.g., life satisfaction). Participants with more education reported higher well-being (median β=.12). Parental educational attainment, subjective childhood SES, and a significant financial event during childhood were associated with more positive affect, less negative affect, and higher life satisfaction (median β=.05); these associations held controlling for offspring education. The educational and financial environment of childhood may hamper well-being into older adulthood; the offspring's own experiences and achievements do not completely attenuate the association with these aspects of the childhood environment.

DOI10.1016/j.paid.2018.01.023
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29527082?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalPers Individ Dif
Citation Key9549
PubMed ID29527082
PubMed Central IDPMC5839335
Grant ListR01 AG053297 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States