Education's Effects on Psychological Well-Being

Data from the 1973–1978 General Social Surveys were used to estimate, by means of multiple regression analysis, the effects of years of school completed on eight dimensions of psychological well-being for white men, white women, black men, and black women. Estimates are provided of total effects, effects net of socioeconomic variables, and effects net of socioeconomic variables, family situation, and frequency of attendance of religious services. There is little evidence for negative effects, the only statistically significant negative coefficient being that for satisfaction with community among white men. There is some evidence that education has positive effects on psychological well-being in all subpopulalions except black men, the strongest evidence being for white women. Dummy variable regression estimates of the effects of different increments of education indicate greater effects from four years of high school than from four years of college. There is tentative evidence that mothers' education may have an important positive effect on their offspring's psychological well-being. . The data reported here are from the 1973–1978 General Social Surveys conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (James A. Davis, principal investigator) with funds from the National Science Foundation. The authors are solely responsible for the analyses and interpretations presented here. The data set was obtained from the Roper Center at the University of Connecticut. We are indebted to the management of the San Antonio College Computer Center for providing computer time for this project.