Life history and life balance

The effect of successes and failures in occupational and in private life up to age 16, 30, 43, 56, on the life balance at age 66, that is, at the end of occupational life, is examined in the Cologne High School Panel among the 1013 remaining respondents. Three hypotheses are examined: Successes affect the life balance positively; failures negatively; and successes have a stronger impact than failures. In occupational life, successes are measured by occupational prestige and hourly income at age 66; and failures by times of unemployment, family work, waiting (for some other activity), and disability in months between age 16 and 66. In private life, successes are measured by partnership status and the number of children at age 66; and failures by the number of separations and of divorces between age 16 and 66.