DONDENA Seminar - Idunn Brekke

We examine the impact of caring for children with disabilities on parental employment and income, focusing on gender, disability severity, and child age. Using a difference-in-differences regression model with data from 139,189 mothers and 134,457 fathers, we find that child disability negatively affects mothers' labor market participation, working hours, and income. The severity of the disability worsens these effects. Fathers caring for children with severe disabilities also experience reduced income, but those with less severe disabilities show no significant labor market changes.  We also investigate the impact on mothers' health, tracking physical and mental health over 11 years. The study finds that mothers of children with disabilities report higher rates of musculoskeletal disorders, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and migraines, even after adjusting for socio-demographic factors. 

Idunn Brekke holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Oslo and works as a research professor at Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Her research focuses on parenting children with disabilities, the labor market, social inequality, and mental health in adolescents.