Support #1771: Computing number of own dependent children for BHPS waves - Understanding Society User Support

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Support #1771

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Computing number of own dependent children for BHPS waves

Added by Albert Ward about 2 years ago. Updated about 1 year ago.

Status:

Resolved

Priority:

Normal

Assignee:

Understanding Society User Support Team

Category:

Derived variables

Start date:

10/03/2022

% Done:

100%

Description

Hi,

I'm interested in computing the number of own dependent children variable (ndepchl_dv) for the BHPS waves of the survey. From what I can see ndepchl_dv is created from the egoalt file using depchl_dv and relationship_dv, so it would measure the number of relationships in a household where someone is the natural, adoptive, foster or step parent of someone recorded as a dependent child. I'm using the syntax for 'Using the egoalt file to create household composition variables' from here: https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/mainstage/syntax

Is this the right way to compute this? I was wondering whether there would ever be instances where a parent lives with a dependent child who is not technically their dependent child (split families perhaps) and whether there is even any way to get this from the survey data.

Many thanks

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Updated by Understanding Society User Support Team about 2 years ago

Private changed from Yes to No

Many thanks for your enquiry. The Understanding Society team is looking into it and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

We aim to respond to simple queries within 48 hours and more complex issues within 7 working days.

Best wishes,
Understanding Society User Support Team

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Updated by Understanding Society User Support Team about 2 years ago

Status changed from New to In Progress
% Done changed from 0 to 10

Dear Albert,

Can I just clarify one thing, what do you mean by their children? Natural children?

Best wishes,
Piotr
Understanding Society User Support Team

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Updated by Albert Ward about 2 years ago

Hi Piotr,

I'm probably not understanding the definition of a dependent child properly. I meant where someone is be the parent of a child classified as a dependent child, but where they are not actually responsible for that child. (for instance if parents divorce and one assumes all responsibility for the child, but where they still live in the same household). Does that make sense?

Thanks,
Albert

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Updated by Understanding Society User Support Team about 2 years ago

% Done changed from 10 to 50

Hi Albert,

The syntax file for the w_ndepchl_dv variable that we provide is available on the syntax page under "UKHLS deposited syntax" tab, search on depchl_dv. This is based on the DWP definition of a dependant child.
https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/documentation/mainstage/syntax

If you want to compute how many own natural/step/adopted children are living in the household with any respondent then use the variable w_nchild_dv
If you want to compute how many own natural children are living in the household with any respondent then use the variable w_nnatch
If you want to use a definition different from these then yes, you can use the variable w_relationship_dv in w_egoalt file. But you could also just use w_indall file as we provide the identifier (pidp) of co-resident parents. These identifiers are w_mnspid w_mnpid w_fnspid w_fnpid - the "m" refers to mother and "f" to father and the "n" refers to biological parent and "ns" to biological/adoptive/step parents - hence Piotr's question earlier.

Hope this helps.
Understanding Society User Support Team

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Updated by Albert Ward about 2 years ago

Thanks both, that makes sense

From what I can see from the syntax for deriving depchl_dv is that this would still count both parents as having a dependent child in households where the parents have split but live together and where one assumes all responsibilities for the child (but probably rare, as I said) :

bys ${wave}hidp ${wave}apno: ///
gen ${wave}ndepchl_ = ((${wave}relationship_dv>=9 &${wave}relationship_dv<=12) & ${wave}depchl_dv==1)
bysort ${wave}hidp ${wave}pno: egen ${wave}ndepchl_dv=sum(${wave}ndepchl_)

Thanks again,
Albert

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