Child Quantity-Quality trade-off

In recent years, Russia has focused intensely on increasing fertility rates through various policies. However, there is evidence suggesting that such measures may have mixed consequences. This research paper aims to estimate the relationship between family size and the educational and occupational outcomes of children in Russian families. Using the Quantity-Quality (QQ) trade-off framework introduced by Becker (1960) and expanded by Becker and Lewis (1973), which posits a negative relationship between family size and child outcomes, this study extracts data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey - Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE). The study replicates methodologies from prior research conducted in Norway and China by Black, Devereux, and Salvanes (2005), and Li, Zhang, and Zhu (2007), with modifications to better fit the Russian context, utilizing a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model with twin births as an instrumental variable. The findings align with previous studies, revealing a negative effect of family size on children's overall educational and occupational outcomes. Notably, the coefficient estimates for children in regions with poorer schooling conditions are higher compared to those from areas with better educational facilities, indicating more pronounced adverse effects in less advantaged regions. However, the study acknowledges several limitations, including the low explanatory power of the estimated models and the relatively small sample size. These constraints suggest that while the results are indicative of certain trends, further research with larger, more comprehensive datasets is necessary to confirm these findings.