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The effect of high-stakes testing on suicidal ideation of teenagers with reference-dependent preferences

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  • Liang Wang

Abstract

This paper offers a novel explanation for why even high-performing individuals may have a high suicidal tendency when preferences are reference-dependent. Using survey data of South Korean secondary school students, this paper demonstrates that the relationship between suicidal ideation and test performance is consistent with the reference-dependent explanation. When a student’s rank in the high-stakes College Scholastic Ability Test falls below her expectation, she exhibits a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. The findings highlight the potentially adverse consequences of disappointment in high-stakes testing and suggest that the risk of suicide may be significant among high achievers too. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

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  • Liang Wang, 2016. "The effect of high-stakes testing on suicidal ideation of teenagers with reference-dependent preferences," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(2), pages 345-364, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:29:y:2016:i:2:p:345-364
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-015-0575-7
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    1. Högberg, Björn & Strandh, Mattias & Petersen, Solveig & Johansson, Klara, 2019. "Education system stratification and health complaints among school-aged children," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 159-166.
    2. Chandler, Vincent & Heger, Dörte & Wuckel, Christiane, 2019. "The perils of returning to school: New insights into the seasonality of youth suicides," Ruhr Economic Papers 820, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    3. Högberg, Björn, 2021. "Educational stressors and secular trends in school stress and mental health problems in adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    4. Björn Högberg, 2023. "Is There a trade-off Between Achievement and Wellbeing in Education Systems? New cross-country Evidence," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 2165-2186, October.
    5. Chandler, Vincent & Heger, Dörte & Wuckel, Christiane, 2022. "The perils of returning to school—New insights into the impact of school holidays on youth suicides," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Fawaz, Yarine & Lee, Junhee, 2022. "Rank comparisons amongst teenagers and suicidal ideation," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    7. Kim, Bokyung & Jeong, Jinook, 2017. "Dynamics of adolescents’ life satisfaction and effect of class rank percentile: Evidence from Korean panel data," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 8-28.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Academic achievement; Anchoring; Reference-dependent preferences; Suicidal ideation; Mental health; I12; I21; I31;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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