The Impact of Teaching Coping Skills in Schools on Youth Mental Health and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Mari Rege, Edvin Bru, Ingeborg F. Solli, Maximiliaan W. P. T. Thijssen, Kjersti B. Tharaldsen, Lene Vestad, Sigrun K. Ertesvåg, Terje Ogden and Paul N. Stallard

No 11742, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Effective and scalable strategies for promoting youth mental health are urgently needed. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of school-based, teacher-led coping skills instruction on youth mental health and academic achievement. The trial included 84 classes and 1,879 ninth-grade students (ages 14–15) in Norway. Findings indicate improved mental well-being and reduced emotional distress at a one-year follow-up, particularly among students with low baseline well-being. The intervention also enhanced academic motivation and increased the likelihood of choosing an academic high school track. Additionally, it had a positive effect on math performance among students with initially low academic motivation, but no significant effects on performance in English or Norwegian.

Keywords: social and emotional skills; preventive mental health policy; school-based intervention; teacher led intervention; education policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 J00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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