According to data from the OECD, nearly one every two people worldwide will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives.

Poor mental health can have large and long-lasting negative consequences on, among others, human capital accumulation and labor market outcomes. It is therefore important to better understand the causes of mental disorders to design programs and interventions that best support the mental wellbeing of all. T

here is a rapidly growing body of research in economics that investigates the causes and consequences of poor mental health. In this talk, Marta Golin will review the evidence on the importance of mental health for socio-economic outcomes. She will then discuss recent work in economics on the determinants of poor mental health and summarize the discussion on the role of new technologies (i.e., Internet and social media) in contributing to the rise of mental health disorders, especially among children and adolescents.