Giuntella, Osea, McManus, Sally , Mujcic, Redzo, Oswald, Andrew J. , Powdthavee , Nattavudh and Tohamy, Ahmed (2022) The midlife crisis. Working Paper. Coventry: University of Warwick. Department of Economics. Warwick economics research papers series (WERPS) (1430). (Unpublished)

Preview

PDF WRAP-twerp-1430-Oswald-22.pdf - Published Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (1300Kb) | Preview

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

This paper documents a longitudinal crisis of midlife among the inhabitants of rich nations. Yet middle-aged citizens in our data sets are close to their peak earnings, have typically experienced little or no illness, reside in some of the safest countries in the world, and live in the most prosperous era in human history. This is paradoxical and troubling. The finding is consistent, however, with the prediction -- one little-known to economists of Elliott Jaques (1965). Our analysis does not rest on elementary cross-sectional analysis. Instead the paper
uses panel and through-time data on, in total, approximately 500,000 individuals. It checks that the key results are not due to cohort effects. Nor do we rely on simple life-satisfaction measures. The paper shows that there are approximately quadratic hill-shaped patterns in data on midlife suicide, sleeping problems, alcohol dependence, concentration difficulties, memory problems, intense job strain, disabling headaches, suicidal feelings, and extreme depression.
We believe the seriousness of this societal problem has not been grasped by the affluent world’s policy-makers.

Item Type:	Working or Discussion Paper (Working Paper)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BJ Ethics H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Middle age -- Psychological aspects, Midlife crisis, Medical economics, Middle-aged persons -- Psychology, Poverty -- Economic aspects
Series Name:	Warwick economics research papers series (WERPS)
Publisher:	University of Warwick. Department of Economics
Place of Publication:	Coventry
ISSN:	0083-7350
Official Date:	6 October 2022
Dates:	Date Event 6 October 2022 Published
Number:	1430
Number of Pages:	72
Institution:	University of Warwick
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Description:	This paper also appears as CAGE Discussion paper 641
Date of first compliant deposit:	19 October 2022
Date of first compliant Open Access:	19 October 2022

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads