School Tracking and Mental Health

59 Pages Posted: 10 Nov 2019 Last revised: 16 Apr 2023

See all articles by Petri Bockerman

Petri Bockerman

Labour Institute for Economic Research; University of Turku - Turku School of Economics

Mika Haapanen

University of Jyväskylä - School of Business and Economics

Christopher Jepsen

University College Dublin (UCD)

Alexandra Roulet

INSEAD

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Abstract

We examine the effects of a comprehensive school reform on mental health. The reform postponed the tracking of students into vocational and academic schools from age 11 to age 16. The reform was implemented gradually across Finnish municipalities between 1972 and 1977. We use difference-in-differences variation and administrative data. Our results show that there is no discernible effect on mental health related hospitalizations on average even though the effect is precisely estimated. Heterogeneity analysis shows that, after the reform, females from highly-educated families were more likely to be hospitalized for depression.

Keywords: depression, mental health, comprehensive school, tracking age, hospitalization

JEL Classification: I12, I26, I28

Suggested Citation

Bockerman, Petri and Bockerman, Petri and Haapanen, Mika and Jepsen, Christopher and Roulet, Alexandra, School Tracking and Mental Health. IZA Discussion Paper No. 12733, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3483971 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3483971

Petri Bockerman (Contact Author)

Labour Institute for Economic Research ( email )

FIN-00530 Helsinki
Finland
+358 9 2535 7332 (Phone)
+358 9 2535 7332 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.petribockerman.fi/

University of Turku - Turku School of Economics ( email )

Rehtorinpellonkatu 3
TURKU, FI-20500
Finland

Mika Haapanen

University of Jyväskylä - School of Business and Economics ( email )

University of Jyväskylä
PO Box 35
FIN 40351, FIN-40014
Finland

Christopher Jepsen

University College Dublin (UCD) ( email )

Belfield
Belfield, Dublin 4 4
Ireland

Alexandra Roulet

INSEAD ( email )

Boulevard de Constance
77305 Fontainebleau Cedex
France

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