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Adolescent Skills, Mental Health, and Early-Adult Educational and Labour-Market Outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Habtamu Beshir

    (UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies)

  • Emla Fitzsimons

    (UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies)

  • Dominic Kelly

    (UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies)

  • Lindsey Macmillan

    (UCL Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities)

Abstract

We examine how different dimensions of adolescent development---cognitive skills, socio-emotional functioning, and mental health---are associated with educational attainment and labour-market engagement at age 23. Using the Millennium Cohort Study, we show that these dimensions are linked to distinct outcomes in early adulthood. Attention difficulties are most strongly associated with lower educational attainment, while emotional, conduct, and peer difficulties are more closely related to weaker labour-market engagement and a higher likelihood of being not in education, employment, or training (NEET). Persistent behavioural and mental-health difficulties are particularly predictive of NEET status. We further document substantial socioeconomic inequalities in educational attainment and labour-market engagement and assess the extent to which adolescent skills and mental health account for these disparities. Our findings show that different dimensions of adolescent development are associated with distinct pathways through education and into the labour market, while also contributing to persistent socioeconomic inequalities in early-adult outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Habtamu Beshir & Emla Fitzsimons & Dominic Kelly & Lindsey Macmillan, 2026. "Adolescent Skills, Mental Health, and Early-Adult Educational and Labour-Market Outcomes," CEPEO Working Paper Series 26-09, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Oct 2026.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucl:cepeow:26-09
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    File URL: https://repec-cepeo.ucl.ac.uk/cepeow/cepeowp26-09.pdf
    File Function: Initial version, 2026
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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