ArticleSocial science research2017
Why does college education matter? Unveiling the contributions of selection factors.
Article in Social science research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Beyond pain presence: the impact of multisite pain and pain interference on cognitive functioning among middle-aged and older adults.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026Article
- Lessons in adjusting for genetic confounding in population research on education and health.SSM - population health · 2025Article
- The causal effect of educational attainment on stress urinary incontinence: a two-sample mendelian randomization study.BMC women's health · 2023Article
- The COVID-19 pandemic, well-being, and transitions to post-secondary education.Review of economics of the household · 2023Article
- Educational attainment and emotional well-being in adolescence and adulthood.SSM. Mental health · 2022Article
- The relationship between postsecondary education and adult health behaviors.SSM - population health · 2022Article
- Achieved educational attainment, inherited genetic endowment for education, and obesity.Biodemography and social biologyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
Abstract
This study investigates the contributions of pre-college selection factors that may partially lead to the college degree - health link by using longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979) cohort. Propensity score matching method finds that the effects of college degree on various health outcomes (self-rated health, physical component summary index, health limitations, CESD scale) are reduced by 51% on average (range: 37%-70%) in the matched sample. Among these observed factors, cognitive skill is the biggest confounder, followed by pre-college health and socioeconomic characteristics (marital aspiration, years of schooling, marriage, fertility, poverty status) and non-cognitive skills (e.g., self-esteem). Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control scale is not significantly associated with all four health measures. The effects of most indicators of family background (parental education, family stability, family size, religious background) on the health of adult children are not direct but through offspring's early adulthood health and socioeconomic status.
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Registered trials
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