According to a study authored by Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela and published in the SERIEs journal, there is a significant impact on the school performance of children after their father’s job loss.
Using a sample of over 300 students in Spain and tracking their performance during the Great Recession, the researchers found that there was a decrease in average grades of around 15-22% of a standard deviation after a father lost his job.
On the other hand, it was found that a mother’s job loss results in a negative, but statistically non-significant effect on children’s academic performance.
Researchers cite, as a possible explanation, previous studies that show men suffer more negative health-related consequences after losing their jobs than women do.
The study found such an impact could have long-term consequences, including increasing inequality.