Citation
Yakusheva, O. & Fletcher, J. (2015). Learning from teen childbearing experiences of close friends: Evidence using miscarriages as a natural experiment. Review of Economics and Statistics. vol. 97 (1) pp. 29-43Abstract
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.URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1162%2FREST_a_00423Notes
Export Date: 20 March 2015Reference Type
Journal ArticleJournal Title
Review of Economics and StatisticsAuthor(s)
Yakusheva, O.Fletcher, J.