Educational attainment and mental health outcomes: A within-sibship Mendelian randomization study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Observational studies indicate that higher educational attainment (EA) is associated with a lower risk of many mental health conditions (MHC). We assessed to what extent this association is influenced by genetic nurture and demographic factors (i.e., assortative mating and population structure).

Methods

We conducted a within-sibship Mendelian randomization (MR) study. The sample consisted of 61 880 siblings (27 507 sibships) from the Trøndelag Health Study-HUNT (Norway) and UK Biobank (United Kingdom). MHC outcomes included symptom scores for anxiety, depression, and neuroticism, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire

SUBMITTER: Vinueza Veloz MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12527539 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature