Title:
Causes of being receiver of Disability Pension and effects on subjective well-beeing
Period:
January 2024-january 2027
Background
My PhD project examines Disability Benefit and its connection to social inequality. Through four articles, the thesis aims to provide a better understanding of the paths into welfare benefits and their consequences for individuals.
Being a recipient of a disability pension can drive to social inequality. In addition to the disability itself, the individual’s financial situation is significantly weakened. Furthermore, the literature also indicates that being at work is important for the individual’s psychological well-being.
It is possible to divide the explanation for becoming a recipient of welfare benefits into three perspectives. One perspective in the welfare theory is that individuals are «pushed» into welfare benefits through social structures and mechanisms (Utstøtingsmodellen). A different perspective focuses on welfare benefits being attractive to individuals, and they are «pulled» into them (Attraksjonsmodellen). A third perspective is that the individual’s diagnosis is the cause of disability pension. My project explores whether predictors in adolescence, sickness absence, gender, individual’s financial situation, and job strain may increase the risk of receiving Disability Pension.
Papers
The first article will investigate early predictors that lead to being a recipient of disability benefits in early adulthood. Adolescence is a critical period for the individual, and the consequences of this period for the individual are both short and long term. Furthermore, the second article will investigate the relationship between mechanical working exposure, psychosocial working exposure, and disability pensions. Moreover, the article will assess gender disparities in Disability Pension, and to what extent working conditions can explain this. The third article will examine the transition into disability benefits from sick leave. Through the first three articles, this project will try to illuminate different paths to Disability Pension. Finally, the fourth article explores how receiving disability pension affects the individual’s subjective well-being. Being outside the workforce affects more than just salary, and this article examines the psychological effects of being the recipient of Disability Pensions.
Methods
The articles will employ a variety of research methods, using both survey and register data. The methodology will involve fixed effects, random effects, survival analysis, differences in differences, logistic regressions, and matching on propensity scores, all of which aim to achieve the research objectives across the articles.