LEARNING FROM TEEN CHILDBEARING EXPERIENCES OF CLOSE FRIENDS: EVIDENCE USING MISCARRIAGES AS A NATURAL EXPERIMENT

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Yakusheva, Olga; Fletcher, Jason
• 署名单位: University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6535
• DOI: 10.1162/REST_a_00423
• 发表日期: 2015-03
• 页码: 29-43
• 关键词: labor-market consequences; spontaneous-abortions; cytogenetic analysis; pregnancy loss; outcomes; epidemiology; decisions; BEHAVIOR

摘要

We examine peer effects in teen childbearing among close friends, using miscarriages as a natural experiment. We use 775 women from the core sample of Add Health who had a friend with a teen pregnancy. We find a sizable negative treatment effect: a close friend's teen birth is associated with a 6 percentage point reduction in the likelihood of own teen pregnancy and childbearing. There is evidence that this effect operates through a learning mechanism by changing beliefs regarding early childbearing. Effects of teen pregnancy prevention policies may be partially offset by reductions in the opportunities for social learning.