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Child mental health and cognitive development: evidence from the West Bank

Author

Listed:
  • Hendrik Jürges

    (University of Wuppertal)

  • Alexandra Schwarz

    (Landschaftsverband Rheinland)

  • Sorel Cahan

    (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

  • Ziad Abdeen

    (Al-Quds University)

Abstract

Using data on students in grades 5 to 9 in the West Bank, we study the link between poor mental health and cognitive development. After controlling for a wide range of potential confounders in an entropy balancing approach, boys’ cognitive test scores are significantly associated with self- and parent-reported measures of mental health. Boys classified as having abnormal mental health scores lag about one grade level behind their peers. Among girls, however, the relationship is weaker and—depending on specification—insignificant. We also show that poor mental health, in turn, is linked with reporting exposure to potentially traumatizing events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

Suggested Citation

  • Hendrik Jürges & Alexandra Schwarz & Sorel Cahan & Ziad Abdeen, 2019. "Child mental health and cognitive development: evidence from the West Bank," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(3), pages 423-442, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:empiri:v:46:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s10663-019-09438-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10663-019-09438-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Jürges Hendrik & Westermaier Franz G., 2020. "Conflict Intensity and Birth Outcomes – Evidence from the West Bank," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(2), pages 1-8, April.
    2. Jürges, Hendrik & Khanam, Rasheda, 2021. "Adolescents’ time allocation and skill production," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child mental health; Cognitive development; West Bank;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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