No evidence for a protective effect of education on mental health

Sarah C Dahmann; Daniel D Schnitzlein

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112584

No evidence for a protective effect of education on mental health

Soc Sci Med. 2019 Nov:241:112584. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112584. Epub 2019 Oct 3.

Authors

Sarah C Dahmann¹, Daniel D Schnitzlein²

Affiliations

¹ The University of Sydney, School of Economics, Social Sciences Building, NSW 2006, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families Over the Life Course, Australia; Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Germany. Electronic address: sarah.dahmann@sydney.edu.au.
² Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Labour Economics, Königsworther Platz 1, 30167 Hannover, Germany; DIW Berlin, Mohrenstrasse 58, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Germany.

PMID: 31606659
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112584

Abstract

This paper analyzes whether education has a protective effect on mental health. To estimate causal effects, we employ an instrumental variable (IV) technique that exploits a reform extending compulsory schooling by one year implemented between 1949 and 1969 in West Germany. We complement analyses on the Mental Component Summary (MCS) score as a generic measure of overall mental health with an MCS-based indicator for risk of developing symptoms of mental health disorder and a continuous measure of subjective well-being. Results support existing evidence of a positive relationship between completed years of secondary schooling and mental health in standard OLS estimations. In contrast, the IV estimations reveal no such causal protective effect and negative effects cannot be ruled out.

Keywords: Compulsory schooling Reform; Mental health; Returns to education.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Education / legislation & jurisprudence
Educational Status*
Germany / epidemiology
Humans
Mental Disorders / epidemiology
Mental Health*