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

Mauricio Avendano, Augustin de Coulon and Vahé Nafilyan

Journal of Public Economics, 2020, vol. 183, issue C

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.

Keywords: Mental health; Education; Compulsory schooling; UK (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I21 I28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (23)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:183:y:2020:i:c:s0047272720300013

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104137

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