Abstract

۱٫ Introduction

۲٫ Material and methods

۳٫ Results

۴٫ Discussion

۵٫ Conclusions

Ethical approval

Acknowledgements

References

Abstract

     Mental health problems are associated with a greater risk of being Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) during young adulthood. Yet evidence on the extent to which self-reported mental health problems precede males’ and females’ NEET status and on the potential pathways linking mental health problems to NEET is lacking. This study examines the longitudinal associations that internalising and externalising problems during adolescence share with the risk of being NEET in young adulthood, with a focus on the mediating role of school performance. Data comes from a representative sample of 4,452 Swedish youth (51% females) who provided information on internalising and externalising problems at age 14–۱۵ years. Information on secondary school grades (age 15–۱۶ years), completion of upper secondary school (age 20–۲۱ years) and NEET status at 21–۲۲ years were drawn from administrative registers. Overall, 6% of participants were NEET at 21–۲۲ years of age and rates were higher for those who had internalising and externalising problems at age 14–۱۵ years. A series of gender-stratified multivariate regression models showed that for both genders, greater internalising and externalising problems predicted lower school grades and a reduced likelihood of upper secondary school completion. However, externalising problems were associated with an increased risk of being NEET for males, while internalising problems were associated with a higher likelihood of being NEET for females. The effects of externalising and internalising problems for males and females, respectively, were partially mediated by school performance. The findings indicate that mental health problems in adolescence are associated with exclusion from the labour market and education in early adulthood, but that internalising and externalising problems represent different risks for males and females. Furthermore, school performance in comprehensive and upper secondary school helps explain links between mental health problems and subsequent NEET status.

Introduction

     Young adulthood is a pivotal phase of life characterised by major transitions as youth enter adulthood through various education and employment pathways. A concerning number of young adults are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET), with an OECD average of 15% among 20- to 24-year-olds in 2019 (varying between 6 and 33% across countries) (OECD, 2020a). Many young adults who are NEET are struggling to transition to employment or further education beyond secondary school and are at increased risk of ongoing difficulties in adulthood (Bäckman & Nilsson, 2016; InternationalLabourOffice, 2015; Ralston et al., 2016). Numerous studies show that NEET youth are more likely to have concurrent mental health problems than youth who are studying or working (e.g., Gariépy & Iyer, 2019; Goldman-Mellor et al., 2016; Henderson et al., 2017). However, the extent to which mental health problems precede NEET status, and the types of mental health problems that present most risk among males and females remains unclear.

Conclusions

     The current study illustrates how mental health problems during adolescence may interfere with youth’s educational transitions and pathways to secure positions on the labour market. Internalising and externalising problems in adolescence are associated with a greater likelihood of being NEET in the post-secondary school years but with different risks for males and females. Internalising and externalising problems are also associated with proximal (grades) and distal (attainment) school outcomes that can limit youth’s future opportunities. To help increase youth’s chances of favourable educational and labour-market trajectories, adolescents with mental health problems should be provided support to strengthen their comprehensive school grades and subsequent ability to complete upper secondary school. Although school performance is an important explanatory mechanism, it does not however exhaustively explain how mental health problems contribute to exclusion from education and employment in early adulthood.