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Effects of Education on Long-term Mental Health: Evidence From Increasing Years of Compulsory Schooling In Germany

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Andrea M., M., Maike, S. Effects of Education on Long-term Mental Health: Evidence From Increasing Years of Compulsory Schooling In Germany. Sozialer Fortschritt, 99999(), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.3790/sfo.2023.03.Muehlenweg.Schmitt
Andrea M., Mühlenweg and Maike, Schmitt "Effects of Education on Long-term Mental Health: Evidence From Increasing Years of Compulsory Schooling In Germany" Sozialer Fortschritt 99999., 2023, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.3790/sfo.2023.03.Muehlenweg.Schmitt
Andrea M., Mühlenweg/Maike, Schmitt (2023): Effects of Education on Long-term Mental Health: Evidence From Increasing Years of Compulsory Schooling In Germany, in: Sozialer Fortschritt, vol. 99999, iss. , 1-27, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/sfo.2023.03.Muehlenweg.Schmitt

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Effects of Education on Long-term Mental Health: Evidence From Increasing Years of Compulsory Schooling In Germany

Andrea M., Mühlenweg | Maike, Schmitt

Sozialer Fortschritt, Vol. (2023), Online First : pp. 1–27

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Mühlenweg, Dr. Andrea, WifOR Darmstadt, Rheinstraße 22, 64283 Darmstadt.

Schmitt, Maike, WifOR Darmstadt, Rheinstraße 22, 64283 Darmstadt.

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Abstract

To estimate the impact of education on long-term mental health, we examine a reform which increased the years of compulsory education in Germany. The reform affected cohorts of ninth graders in 1949 – 1969 in Western Germany. Variation in the year of reform implementation over federal states allows for a difference-in-difference strategy where we control for full sets of birth cohort, observation year, and federal state fixed effects. We also take account of state specific trends. Based on individual level health insurance claims data of a major health insurance company, we estimate the reform’s impact on mental health for individuals aged 50 – 85. The mental health indicator reflects the probability to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety disorder. Given the assumptions of the estimation strategy, we find robust protective effects of the education reform on men’s long-term mental health.

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Andrea M. Mühlenweg / Maike Schmitt: Effects of Education on Long-term Mental Health: Evidence From Increasing Years of Compulsory Schooling In Germany 1
Abstract 1
Zusammenfassung: Langzeiteffekte von Bildung auf die psychische Gesundheit: Auswirkungen der Erhöhung der Pflichtschulzeit in Deutschland 2
1. Introduction 2
Evidence on causal effects of years of compulsory education on health 4
Mental health effects of increasing years of compulsory education 5
Mechanisms: evidence from the literature on increasing years of compulsory education 6
Our contribution and outline 8
2. Institutional background 9
3. Data 12
4. Empirical strategy 14
5. Results 17
Mental disorder 17
Health behavior as a mechanism 18
Robustness checks 18
6. Conclusions and Discussion 20
References 22