The effect of the US Child Tax Credit advance payments in 2021 on adolescent mental health: Changes in depression symptoms and suicidality.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Child poverty is associated with poor adolescent mental health. Changes to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in 2021 in the U.S. were historic and introduced a new model of distributing the credit in advance of tax filing, providing families with stable, supplemental monthly income. This policy shift offers a unique opportunity to examine the mental health effects for adolescents.

Methods

We use electronic health record data from a large pediatric primary care network in Columbus, Ohio, which collected adolescent depression screening scores in real time as the CTC advance payments were introduced. We utilized differences in age of eligibility for the CTC to examine the changes in the probability of depression screening outcomes (positive depression screen, any depression

SUBMITTER: Chavez LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11372612 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature