We study the effects of early life exposure to above average levels of rainfall on adult mental health. While we find no effect from pre-natal exposure, post-natal positive rainfall shocks decrease average Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) mental health scores by 13 percent...

We examine the evolution of risk attitudes and time preferences after the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, one of the largest recent earthquakes in Indonesia. Employing the earthquake as a natural experiment and using information on the pre-earthquake location of individuals, we compare the evolution...

While the influence of adverse shocks on objective measures of wellbeing has been researched in economics, little evidence exists on the effects of shocks like natural disasters on subjective wellbeing and aspirations. The paper examines the causal links between an adverse shock, the 2006...

An emerging literature documents the long-term consequences of adverse events in childhood on subsequent adult outcomes and behavior. We extend this research by studying the effect of experiencing a sibling death as a child on subsequent educational and fertility outcomes in Indonesia. Using...

With increasing number of natural disasters, understanding the links between these events and child health has become timely and pertinent. Using a panel dataset, this paper empirically investigates the persistent effects on child health due to exposure to a series of natural disasters that...

An emerging literature finds that childhood exposure to adverse events determines adult outcomes and behavior. We extend this research to understand the influence of witnessing a sibling death as a child on subsequent educational and fertility outcomes in Indonesia. Using panel data and a...