The Intergenerational Transfer of Education Credentials and Health: Evidence from the 2008 General Social Survey-National Death Index

Background. The educational attainment of a parent is a powerful predictor of children’s wellbeing, but little is known about why this is the case. Methods. We used the 2008 General Social Survey to explore factors that may explain the relationship between one’s father’s education and one’s own mortality. These include (1) intellectual traits, (2) material wellbeing, (3) psychological characteristics, (4) personality characteristics, and (5) social capital. Results. The education credentials of one’s father are significantly associated with one’s risk of death. The strongest mediators are own educational attainment, family income, home ownership, and subjective socioeconomic status. To a lesser extent, respondents’ happiness with friends and family and social bonding were also pathways. Conclusions. A father’s educational attainment appears to influence his children’s health, and may do so not only by improving the child’s material circumstances but also through his or her educational attainment and other psychological and social characteristics.