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A theoretical model of adolescent suicide and some evidence from US data

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  • Vijay K. Mathur
  • Donald G. Freeman

Abstract

Suicide rates for adolescents have doubled since 1970 and tripled since 1960, even as rates for other age groups have declined. Using a Becker‐type model of household production and consumption, we demonstrate conditions under which utility maximizing parents allocate time away from time‐intensive commodities like children's well‐being, and towards market work and less time‐intensive consumption commodities. This reallocation of time towards market work has mixed effects on children' mental health: higher money income tends to improve family and children's well‐being, but the loss of parental time has an opposite effect on children's mental health and increases the risk of adolescent suicide. Empirical evidence using state panel regressions of adolescent suicide rates on economic, social and demographic variables is consistent with predictions based on our model; our results indicate that the favorable effect of higher incomes has more than offset the negative effect of lost parental time. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Vijay K. Mathur & Donald G. Freeman, 2002. "A theoretical model of adolescent suicide and some evidence from US data," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(8), pages 695-708, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:11:y:2002:i:8:p:695-708
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.704
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kyle D. Buck & J. Kevin Summers & Lisa M. Smith & Linda C. Harwell, 2018. "Application of the Human Well-Being Index to Sensitive Population Divisions: a Children’s Well-Being Index Development," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(4), pages 1249-1280, August.
    2. Tomasz Piotr Wisniewski & Brendan John Lambe & Keshab Shrestha, 2020. "Do Stock Market Fluctuations Affect Suicide Rates?," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 43(4), pages 737-765, December.
    3. Best, Paul & Manktelow, Roger & Taylor, Brian, 2014. "Online communication, social media and adolescent wellbeing: A systematic narrative review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 27-36.
    4. Rosa Duarte & Jos� Juli�n Escario & Jos� Alberto Molina, 2013. "Socio-demographic determinants of planning suicide and marijuana use among youths: are these patterns of behaviour causally related?," Documentos de Trabajo dt2013-03, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Zaragoza.
    5. Okada, Keisuke & Samreth, Sovannroeun, 2013. "A study on the socio-economic determinants of suicide: Evidence from 13 European OECD countries," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 78-85.
    6. Jahyeong Koo & W. Michael Cox, 2008. "An Economic Interpretation Of Suicide Cycles In Japan," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 26(1), pages 162-174, January.
    7. Yochay Nadan & Avital Kaye-Tzadok, 2019. "The Virtual Arena: A Call for a New Domain of Child Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(2), pages 461-477, April.
    8. Sok Chul Hong & Jungmin Lee, 2015. "People on the verge of death: evidence from impacts of celebrity suicides," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(7), pages 710-724, February.

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