From Rank to Label: How Early Academic Rank Shapes Educational Diagnoses and Mental Health Outcomes

Jérôme Larivière

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This study uses rich Canadian census and administrative data to examine the causal ef- fects of early academic ranking on educational diagnoses and long-term mental well-being. Leveraging within-classroom variation among students with similar abilities, I find that mov- ing from the 0–5th to the 10–15th percentile reduces learning disability diagnoses by 34% and mental health conditions by 16%. Conversely, shifting from the 85–90th to the 95–100th percentile increases gifted diagnoses by 27%, showing that teacher perceptions and behaviors are influenced by relative performance. Similar rank variation also lower adult mental health challenges by 12% and boost learning-related self-esteem by 21%.

Keywords: Academic Rank; Educational Diagnosis; Rank Effect; Teacher Bias (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 I24 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-04-26
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:124861

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