Maternal education and the development of Chinese adolescents.

This paper examines the intergenerational effects of maternal education on adolescents' development in education and health by using data from the China Education Panel Survey. The ordinary least squares and two-stage least squares estimates indicate that maternal education increases both children's cognitive test scores and the probability of being nearsighted and overweight. The net effects of maternal education on the economic well-being of adolescents is inconclusive. We further find that family environment and parenting style are the most relevant mediating mechanisms through which maternal education affects the development of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]