Does longer compulsory schooling affect mental health? Evidence from a British reform

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Avendano, Mauricio; de Coulon, Augustin; Nafilyan, Vahe
• 署名单位: University of London; King's College London; Harvard University; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; University of London; King's College London; University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; IZA Institute Labor Economics
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104137
• 发表日期: 2020
• 关键词: Mental health; education; compulsory schooling; uk

摘要

In this paper, we examine whether longer compulsory schooling has a causal effect on mental health, exploiting a 1972 reform which raised the minimum school leaving age from age 15 to 16 in Great Britain. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that the reform did not improve mental health. We provide evidence that extending the duration of compulsory schooling impacts mental health through channels other than increased educational attainment. We argue that these effects may mitigate or offset the health returns to increased educational attainment. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.