IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0101751.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mental Health Problems and Educational Attainment in Adolescence: 9-Year Follow-Up of the TRAILS Study

Author

Listed:
  • Karin Veldman
  • Ute Bültmann
  • Roy E Stewart
  • Johan Ormel
  • Frank C Verhulst
  • Sijmen A Reijneveld

Abstract

Background: This study examines if mental health problems at age 11 and changes in mental health problems between age 11 and 16 predict educational attainment of adolescents at age 19, overall and stratified by gender. Methods: Data from 1711 adolescents (76.8% from initial cohort) of the Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a Dutch prospective cohort study with 9year follow-up, were used. Mental health problems (externalizing, internalizing and attention problems) were measured by the Youth Self Report and the Child Behavior Checklist at ages 11 and 16. Difference scores for mental health problems between age 11 and 16 were calculated. Educational attainment was assessed at age 19. Results: Externalizing, internalizing and attention problems at age 11 were significantly associated with low educational attainment at age 19 (crude model). When adjusted for demographic variables and the other mental health problems, only the association for attention problems remained significant (odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval: 3.19, 2.11–4.83). Increasing externalizing problems between age 11 and 16 also predicted low educational attainment at age 19 (OR 3.12, 1.83–5.32). Among girls, increasing internalizing problems between age 11 and 16 predicted low educational attainment (OR 2.21, 1.25–3.94). For boys, no significant association was found for increasing internalizing problems and low educational attainment. For increasing attention problems between age 11 and 16 no significant association with low educational attainment was found. Conclusions: Externalizing, internalizing and attention problems at age 11 and an increase of these problems during adolescence predicted low educational attainment at age 19. Early treatment of these mental health problems may improve educational attainment, and reduce socioeconomic health differences in adulthood.

Suggested Citation

  • Karin Veldman & Ute Bültmann & Roy E Stewart & Johan Ormel & Frank C Verhulst & Sijmen A Reijneveld, 2014. "Mental Health Problems and Educational Attainment in Adolescence: 9-Year Follow-Up of the TRAILS Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-7, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0101751
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101751
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0101751
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0101751&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0101751?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jason M. Fletcher, 2008. "Adolescent depression: diagnosis, treatment, and educational attainment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(11), pages 1215-1235.
    2. Susan L. Ettner & Richard G. Frank & Ronald C. Kessler, 1997. "The Impact of Psychiatric Disorders on Labor Market Outcomes," NBER Working Papers 5989, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Smith, James Patrick & Smith, Gillian C., 2010. "Long-term economic costs of psychological problems during childhood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 110-115, July.
    4. Jason M. Fletcher, 2008. "Adolescent depression: diagnosis, treatment, and educational attainment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(11), pages 1215-1235, November.
    5. Jason M. Fletcher, 2010. "Adolescent depression and educational attainment: results using sibling fixed effects," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(7), pages 855-871, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Loreto Leiva & Betzabé Torres-Cortés & Andrés Antivilo-Bruna, 2022. "Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health: When Well-Being Matters," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(2), pages 631-655, April.
    2. Sayyah, Madison D. & Merrick, Jillian S. & Larson, Matthew D. & Narayan, Angela J., 2022. "Childhood adversity subtypes and young adulthood mental health problems: Unpacking effects of maltreatment, family dysfunction, and peer victimization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    3. Sander K R van Zon & Ute Bültmann & Carlos F Mendes de Leon & Sijmen A Reijneveld, 2015. "Absolute and Relative Socioeconomic Health Inequalities across Age Groups," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cornaglia, Francesca & Crivellaro, Elena & McNally, Sandra, 2015. "Mental health and education decisions," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 1-12.
    2. Mousteri, Victoria & Daly, Michael & Delaney, Liam & Tynelius, Per & Rasmussen, Finn, 2019. "Adolescent mental health and unemployment over the lifespan: Population evidence from Sweden," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 305-314.
    3. Buyi Wang & Richard Frank & Sherry Glied, 2023. "Lasting scars: The impact of depression in early adulthood on subsequent labor market outcomes," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(12), pages 2694-2708, December.
    4. Jason M. Fletcher, 2014. "The Effects Of Childhood Adhd On Adult Labor Market Outcomes," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(2), pages 159-181, February.
    5. Nolan, Anne & Smyth, Emer, 2022. "Disrupted transitions: young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS142.
    6. Silver, Ian A., 2019. "Linear and non-linear: An exploration of the variation in the functional form of verbal IQ and antisocial behavior as adolescents age into adulthood," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1-1.
    7. Eisenberg Daniel & Golberstein Ezra & Hunt Justin B, 2009. "Mental Health and Academic Success in College," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 9(1), pages 1-37, September.
    8. Mallory Avery & Jessica LaVoice, 2023. "The effect of “failed” community mental health centers on non‐white mortality," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 1362-1393, June.
    9. Fletcher, Jason M., 2009. "Childhood mistreatment and adolescent and young adult depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 799-806, March.
    10. Karin A A De Ridder & Kristine Pape & Roar Johnsen & Turid Lingaas Holmen & Steinar Westin & Johan Håkon Bjørngaard, 2013. "Adolescent Health and High School Dropout: A Prospective Cohort Study of 9000 Norwegian Adolescents (The Young-HUNT)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(9), pages 1-7, September.
    11. Egan, Mark & Daly, Michael & Delaney, Liam, 2015. "Childhood psychological distress and youth unemployment: Evidence from two British cohort studies," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 11-17.
    12. Johnston, David W. & Schurer, Stefanie & Shields, Michael A., 2011. "Evidence on the Long Shadow of Poor Mental Health across Three Generations," IZA Discussion Papers 6014, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Germinario, Giuseppe & Amin, Vikesh & Flores, Carlos A. & Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso, 2022. "What can we learn about the effect of mental health on labor market outcomes under weak assumptions? Evidence from the NLSY79," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. John Roy & Stefanie Schurer, 2013. "Getting Stuck In The Blues: Persistence Of Mental Health Problems In Australia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(9), pages 1139-1157, September.
    15. Andrew J. Hussey & Debjani Kanjilal & Albert A. Okunade, 2013. "Effects of Peers and Social Environment on Adolescent Psychological Well-Being," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 3(2), pages 69-83, February.
    16. Jason Fletcher, 2013. "Adolescent Depression and Adult Labor Market Outcomes," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 80(1), pages 26-49, July.
    17. Jason M. Fletcher, 2010. "Adolescent depression and educational attainment: results using sibling fixed effects," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(7), pages 855-871, July.
    18. Arne Risa Hole & Anita Ratcliffe, 2015. "The impact of the London bombings on the wellbeing of young Muslims," Working Papers 2015002, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    19. Benjamin W. Cowan & Zhuang Hao, 2021. "Medicaid expansion and the mental health of college students," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1306-1327, June.
    20. Felix Glaser & Gerald J. Pruckner, 2023. "A hard pill to swallow? Parental health shocks and children's mental health," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(12), pages 2768-2800, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0101751. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.