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Research ArticleArticles
Open Access

In-Person Schooling and Youth Suicide

Evidence from School Calendars and Pandemic School Closures*

Benjamin Hansen, Joseph J. Sabia and Jessamyn Schaller
Published online before print November 07, 2023, 1222-12710R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1222-12710R2
Benjamin Hansen
University of Oregon, NBER & IZA Department of Economics Email:
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Joseph J. Sabia
San Diego State University Center for Health Economics & Policy Studies (CHEPS) Email:
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Jessamyn Schaller
Claremont McKenna College, NBER, IZA Department of Economics Email:
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Abstract

This study explores the effect of in-person schooling on youth suicide in the United States. We show that youth suicide rates historically declined during summers and rose again earlier in counties with an August school starting date. We document a departure from this pattern at the onset of the COVID19 pandemic: youth suicides fell 25 percent in March 2020, when schools closed, and remained low throughout summer. Leveraging county variation in the timing of reopening, we find that returning to in-person instruction increased youth suicides by 12-18 percent. Analysis of Google search data suggests that bullying is a likely mechanism.

Keywords:
  • Youth suicide
  • teen suicide
  • teenage suicide
  • suicide
  • COVID-19
  • in-person schooling
  • bullying
  • cyber-bullying
  • mental health
JEL Codes:
  • I12
  • I18
  • I19

This open access article is distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) and is freely available online at: http://jhr.uwpress.org

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Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
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In-Person Schooling and Youth Suicide
Benjamin Hansen, Joseph J. Sabia, Jessamyn Schaller
Journal of Human Resources Nov 2023, 1222-12710R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1222-12710R2

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In-Person Schooling and Youth Suicide
Benjamin Hansen, Joseph J. Sabia, Jessamyn Schaller
Journal of Human Resources Nov 2023, 1222-12710R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1222-12710R2
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Keywords

  • Youth suicide
  • teen suicide
  • teenage suicide
  • suicide
  • COVID-19
  • in-person schooling
  • bullying
  • cyber-bullying
  • mental health
  • I12
  • I18
  • I19
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