The effect of high-stakes testing on suicidal ideation of teenagers with reference-dependent preferences

Liang Wang

Journal of Population Economics, 2016, vol. 29, issue 2, No 1, 345-364

Abstract: Abstract This paper offers a novel explanation for why even high-performing individuals may have a high suicidal tendency when preferences are reference-dependent. Using survey data of South Korean secondary school students, this paper demonstrates that the relationship between suicidal ideation and test performance is consistent with the reference-dependent explanation. When a student’s rank in the high-stakes College Scholastic Ability Test falls below her expectation, she exhibits a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. The findings highlight the potentially adverse consequences of disappointment in high-stakes testing and suggest that the risk of suicide may be significant among high achievers too.

Keywords: Academic achievement; Anchoring; Reference-dependent preferences; Suicidal ideation; Mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I21 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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DOI: 10.1007/s00148-015-0575-7

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