Childhood Sporting Activities and Adult Labour-Market Outcomes - Annals of Economics and Statistics

This study examines whether childhood participation in sports is positively correlated with adult labor market outcomes. It explores various potential mechanisms for this effect, while acknowledging the challenges of establishing a causal relationship. By analyzing data from two widely-separated waves of the Add Health study, the research maps the correlation between childhood sports and several adult labor market outcomes. The findings indicate that different types of childhood sports are linked to greater managerial responsibilities and workplace autonomy in adulthood. The study addresses the endogeneity of sports participation using a range of techniques, including sibling data analysis, to produce estimates that are as unbiased as possible. Finally, it compares the impact of sporting activities to that of other leisure activities.

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