IMCHILD: The impact of childhood circumstances on individual outcomes over the life-course

About the project

The IMCHILD project analyses how childhood circumstances, such as natural endowments, parental inputs and socio-economic backgrounds, influence the educational and labour market outcomes of individuals over the entire course of their life. For this purpose the team draws on the analytical frameworks laid out in the literature branches on “Equality of Opportunity” and “Intergenerational Mobility”.

Progress

In the first part of the project, the team paid particular attention to the effect of these circumstances on influential decisions that mark individuals’ transition to adulthood. Examples of such decisions are educational and occupational choices or decisions regarding family formation. While continuing the work in this domain, the team has now expanded the research focus to later life outcomes including health and old-age cognitive functioning. Furthermore, the consortium has increased its attention towards theoretical aspects of the project, in which the team aims to reconcile the literature branches on “Equality of Opportunity” and “Intergenerational Mobility”.