The Long-Term Impact of War Victimization on Life Satisfaction - Evidence from the Life in Transition Survey

This paper investigates the long-term impact of war victimization on life satisfaction, using data from the second wave of the Life in Transition Survey (LITS II). We replicate five studies that explore this topic using LITS II data, highlighting how conflicting conclusions arise due to differences in specification choices. Through a comprehensive specification curve analysis, we then demonstrate that the estimated long-term impact of war on life satisfaction is generally small, with effect sizes varying depending on the chosen methodology, particularly on the inclusion of income as a control variable. Using more recent data from LITS III, we then confirm that these conclusions remain consistent over time. Overall, there is thus little evidence of a sizable causal relationship between war victimization and long-term life satisfaction.