Room: Phillips 407
Time: Mon 10:15 AM-11:45 AM

Economics of Suicide

Chair: Jason Fletcher (Yale University)

Session Description

This session focuses on new empirical research in the economics of suicide. Suicide is currently the third-leading cause of death among teenagers. However, few policies have been shown be effective in its reduction. This session focuses on several potential determinants of suicide that have specific policy levers available. The authors also use advanced econometric techniques and/or research designs aimed at uncovering causal effects. To this the authors also bring new data to these important questions and shift the focus of preventing suicide into areas not typically considered in empirical economics research. Sabia creates a new dataset that merges Vital Statistics data with parental involvement laws. Using sophisticated econometric methods as well as falsification tests, the authors provide evidence of substantial reductions in youth suicide in states that enact these laws. Dunn also constructs a state-level dataset of suicides, but at the monthly level. The authors examine an under-researched determinant of suicide—unemployment fluctuations. The authors are also able to separate the effect of job loss from the effect of unemployment duration and utilize data on mass layoffs in order to uncover causal effects of job loss. Finally, Green seeks to provide new evidence of potential peer effects in adolescent suicidal behaviors. Peer effects are notoriously difficult to estimate, so this paper uses new econometric advances and the rich Add Health dataset to focus on potential social multiplier effects. These effects are important for policy makers because, if they exist, policies may be able to leverage social effects to multiply the benefits of suicide reduction interventions to untreated peers. Thus, the papers in this session are tied together both in the focus on suicide prevention but also in their use of sophisticated econometric modeling with an aim to uncover causal determinants of suicide that could be affected by policies.

Key Terms None

Session Organizer: Jason Fletcher (Yale University)

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Presentations

1. The Effect of Parental Involvement Laws on Youth Suicide

   Presenter: Joseph Sabia (American University)

   Discussant: Timothy Classen (Loyola University Chicago)

2. The effect of job loss and unemployment duration on suicide risk in the United States: a new look using mass-layoffs and unemployment insurance claims

   Presenter: Richard Dunn (Texas A&M University)

   Discussant: Jason Fletcher (Yale University)

3. Testing for Peer Effects and Adolescent Suicide Ideations

   Presenter: Jeremy Green (Yale University)

   Discussant: Joshua Price (Cornell University)