Scientific Presentations

LabTalks@­SocialDemography

Department Social Demography
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), Rostock, Germany, January 14, 2025

1:00 PM: Talk with Alexandra Lugova - Working longer, feeling worse? How job quality shapes the mental health toll of delayed retirement.

Abstract:

We investigate the impact of delayed retirement on late-career depression. We contribute to recent literature by analyzing how this effect varies according to working conditions. We apply a staggered difference-in-differences approach to leverage pension reforms in several European countries, repeated cross-sectional data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), and exogeneous data on job quality from the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). We find that delaying retirement generally increases depression among older workers, with substantial variation based on job characteristics. Specifically, both male and female workers in lower-skilled, highly-intensive, insecure jobs with poor prospects and unfavorable social environments show a marked increase in depression when required to work longer. In contrast, supportive social conditions, job stability, and good career prospects may lead to less marked or even reversed effects of delayed retirement on depression.

Room 400 and Zoom

Please register via email (office-myrskyla@demogr.mpg.de) for online participation. The Zoom link will be sent to you afterwards.
 

1:45 PM: Talk with Zafer Büyükkececi - Infertility affects about one in six couples globally during their reproductive years 

Abstract:

Many of these couples seek medically assisted reproduction (MAR) treatments to conceive. Using 14 waves of data from the German Family Panel (pairfam), this study investigates the relationship between MAR and relational and well-being outcomes among couples actively trying to conceive. Findings show that couples who remain childless following MAR treatments experience lower physical and mental well-being, reduced life satisfaction, and a higher risk of separation compared to those who conceive naturally, those who conceive after MAR treatment, and parents who have undergone MAR treatment, highlighting the emotional, relational, and physical challenges associated with unsuccessful MAR treatments.

 

Online Seminar Talk, January, 14th from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Rostock time)