SACM - Canada
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9651
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Item Restricted Three Essays in Mental Health Economics: Education and Labor Market Outcomes(Saudi Digital Library, 2025-06) Alarabim, Hosam; Koreshkova, TatyanaThis dissertation explores how mental and physical health influence key economic outcomes over the life course, focusing on education, occupational outcomes, and workplace productivity. Using longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), the study employs advanced modeling techniques, including Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) and mixed-effects regression, to construct latent health measures and quantify their economic consequences. The first chapter examines the impact of adolescent mental health on academic achievement, particularly high school completion and college enrollment. It addresses the limitations of using narrow diagnostic proxies for mental health by applying a factor-analytic approach to create latent constructs. The findings reveal that better mental health significantly improves educational attainment, with a stronger effect on college entry than on high school completion. The second chapter investigates how health status shapes occupational sorting across two major classifications: white-collar and full-time employment. It finds that individuals with poor mental health are disproportionately concentrated in low skill, physically demanding, blue-collar jobs, while those with better health are more likely to enter cognitively intensive, white-collar occupations. Physical health also influences job type, reinforcing disparities in labor market access and long-term mobility. The third chapter evaluates the effect of mental health on workplace productivity. By constructing a composite latent productivity score, based on job satisfaction, hours worked, and income, the study estimates the long-term effects of lagged health status. A one standard deviation increase in mental health is associated with a 0.0251 rise in latent productivity and a 0.0201 increase in wage measure of productivity, confirming the strong and persistent influence of psychological well-being. Together, these chapters show that mental health is a critical determinant of economic opportunity, shaping individual outcomes from adolescence through adulthood.5 0Item Restricted A Grounded Theory Investigation of Self-Identified Female Students’ Mental Health Perception, Mental Health Factors, and Help Seeking Behaviours(Western University, 2024) Alzaidi, Laila; Forchuk, Cheryl; Babenko-Mould, Yolanda; Booth, RichardThe purpose of this integrated-article dissertation was to explore self-identified female students’ understanding of mental health, mental health factors, and help-seeking behaviours. Young adults often face multiple stressors in their daily lives and must find ways to prevent, address, or overcome stressors that can lead to emotional and physical distress. University life can be more stressful because of greater responsibilities and independence during this age period. Increasingly, post secondary school students are recognized as an at-risk population for poor mental health. It is worth noting that female students experienced greater levels of stress compared to other genders. Poor mental health can contribute to poor academic performance and excessive alcohol consumption. Transition-aged youth (17-29 years) of all genders are particularly at risk of developing mental health problems, yet they are one of the least likely demographic groups to seek help. In a state of mental health, individuals are more prepared to take healthy risks, actively contribute to society, and gain life satisfaction. The undertaking for mental well-being is a common desire for oneself, students, and loved ones. However, limited research has been conducted about perceptions and attitudes of young adults, especially among female students, regarding mental health and help-seeking behaviours. A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted, and semi-structured interviews were undertaken between January and March 2023 with 22 self- identified female students who were enrolled in post-secondary programs at a university in Ontario, Canada. Participants shared their insights during in-depth individual interviews. The following eighteen themes emerged from students data during data analysis: psychological well-being, socioeconomic factors, social and societal influences on students’ well-being, holistic well-being perspectives, academic perspectives, career and financial perspectives, life and future perspectives, coping mechanisms, healthcare engagement challenges, psychological barriers, relational barriers, personal challenges, seeking professional and non-professional support, integrated support, self-reliance and self-help. The findings demonstrated that students’ advocacy for the promotion of mental health practices has a strong impact on their overall well-being.20 0