Less Pressure, Happier Minds: The Mental Health Impact of Relaxation-Oriented Education

Yu Bai, Yanjun Li, Xinyan Liu and Ryuichi Tanaka

Discussion papers from Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI)

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of a relaxation-oriented educational policy on the mental health outcomes of affected children. Leveraging a difference-in-differences estimation strategy, we utilize the exogenous shock introduced by Japan’s 2002 relaxation-oriented curriculum reform to assess the effect of decreased instruction time on student mental health. Our results indicate that individuals exposed to more years of relaxed education tended to experience improved mental health outcomes. We also explore potential mechanisms behind these improvements, noting that reduced hours of study and increased time for leisure activities contribute to better mental health. However, the effect appears to be temporary, suggesting that while relaxed education policies can enhance students’ mental health, these benefits may not endure long-term.

Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2025-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-neu
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eti:dpaper:25076

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