Working Paper: NBER ID: w9638
Authors: Pinka Chatterji; Dhaval Dave; Robert Kaestner; Sara Markowitz
Abstract: This study uses the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) to explore the causal relationship between alcohol abuse (binge drinking and clinically defined alcohol use disorders) and suicide attempts among youth. We use an empirical approach that allows one to assess the existence and strength of a causal relationship without relying on identifying assumptions. Our results suggest that a causal relationship between binge drinking and suicide attempts is very unlikely. The findings, however, support a causal relationship between clinically defined alcohol use disorders and suicide attempts among girls.
Keywords: alcohol abuse; youth suicide; binge drinking; causal relationship
JEL Codes: I1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| clinically defined alcohol use disorders (I12) | suicide attempts (I12) |
| binge drinking (I12) | suicide attempts (I12) |
| binge drinking (I12) | youth at risk for suicide attempts (J13) |
| clinically defined alcohol use disorders (I12) | suicide attempts among girls (I12) |