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Well-being scarring effects of college non-completion
Martin Neugebauer1, Michael Becker2, Lilly-Marlen Bihler2
1Karlsruhe University of Education, Germany.
Social Science Research
|March 14, 2025
Summary
Dropping out of college negatively impacts psychological and health well-being into adulthood. These long-term effects suggest educational discontinuation poses significant challenges.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Limited research exists on the long-term socio-emotional outcomes of college non-completion.
- Understanding these consequences is crucial for individual well-being and public policy.
- Previous studies have not adequately compared non-completers to both graduates and individuals who never attended college.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of college non-completion on psychological well-being markers.
- To examine the impact on health-related well-being indicators.
- To compare outcomes for college non-completers, graduates, and non-college goers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized rich panel data from Germany.
- Employed entropy balancing for robust statistical comparisons.
- Analyzed well-being markers around age 31 and 40, approximately 18 years post-college.
Main Results:
- College non-completers reported lower self-esteem, life satisfaction, and general health, with higher fear of failure and depressive symptoms.
- These negative well-being disparities persisted into their early 40s compared to college graduates.
- No significant well-being differences were found between non-completers and individuals who did not attend college.
Conclusions:
- Educational discontinuation presents persistent challenges to psychological and health-related well-being.
- Individuals who do not complete college experience long-term adverse effects.
- Policy interventions may be necessary to mitigate the enduring negative consequences of dropping out.
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