Family stress and the intergenerational correlation in self-control

Abstract

We first examine the correlation in self-control between parents and their young-adult children, drawing on two decades of population-representative panel data. We then exploit variation in the family environment during childhood to investigate how family stress related to: i) parenting responsibilities; ii) parents’ relationship quality; iii) household finances; and iv) poor mental health shape the self-control of young adults. A finite mixture model is used to account for unobserved heterogeneity in young adults’ capacity for self-control. Our results indicate that some young people may be particularly sensitive to growing up in a stressful environment, opening the door for family stress to affect the formation of self-control.