Causes of youth mental health problems and criminality remain unknown. While earlier studies have established that childhood socioeconomic situation correlates with criminality and mental health problems, they have been largely unable to clarify whether the associations are causal in nature. This proposal combines the use of high-quality Nordic register data with (quasi)-experimental study designs to investigate whether early life socioeconomic situation has causal effects on mental health and criminality, and which specific social policies can improve outcomes and for whom in the context of Nordic welfare states. This knowledge is highly informative for policymakers considering societal measures to improve well-being of children and adolescents.

2024

2028