Colloque - Mental Health and Addiction - Mauricio Avendano: The Role of Mental Health in Shaping Education and Economic Outcomes for Young People: Findings from Randomized Trials

Maria MelchiorSanté publiqueCollège de FranceAnnée 2025-2026Colloque - Mental Health and Addiction - Mauricio Avendano: The Role of Mental Health in Shaping Education and Economic Outcomes for Young People: Findings from Randomized TrialsSession 3: AdultsMauricio AvendanoProfessor, Lausanne University; Adjunct Associate Professor, Harvard University; Visiting Professor, King's College LondonRésuméAn increasing body of research suggests that mental health is associated with children's, adolescents', and young adults' ability to succeed in education and future employment. However, whether interventions that improve mental health translate into better educational, employment and economic outcomes remains less well established, partly due to challenges in identifying causal relationships. In this presentation, I argue that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of novel mental health interventions can help address this question. I focus on the results of a major RCT evaluating the impact of a digital mental health intervention among vulnerable young adults in Colombia. The findings show that while such interventions can improve mental health outcomes in this population, translating these improvements into gains in educational attainment and economic outcomes is more challenging than often assumed. This presentation raises broader questions about the role of experimental research in mental health and invites reflection on common assumptions regarding the pathways linking mental health to education and economic outcomes.