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

Avendano, Mauricio, de Coulon, Augustin and Nafilyan, Vahé (2020) Does longer compulsory schooling affect mental health? Evidence from a British reform. Journal of Public Economics, 183. ISSN 0047-2727

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2020 The Author(s).
Divisions:	Centre for Economic Performance Centre for Vocational Education Research
Subjects:	H Social Sciences L Education
Date Deposited:	15 Sep 2022 15:51
Last Modified:	26 Oct 2024 18:09
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/116634

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