Shaping Futures: The Role of Primary Schools and Teachers for Students with Mental, Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Disorders
Mental, neurodevelopmental, and behavioral disorders affect many children globally. They cover a range of different disorders, e.g., ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. Despite varying symptoms, all are linked to poor education and labor market outcomes – lower grades, higher dropout, and reduced earnings – creating lasting inequality and risks of exclusion.
This project examines how schools and teachers shape the link between these disorders and poor schooling and labor-market outcomes. Our goals are twofold: first, to uncover the root causes of how schools and teachers shape the link between MNB disorders and poor academic and labor-market outcomes; and second, to identify actionable, school-based policies.
To accomplish this, we ask
- How does the importance of teachers and schools vary among students with and without mental, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders with respect to test scores and well-being?
- Through which mechanisms do teachers and schools impact student outcomes?
- What challenges do teachers and schools face?
We employ state-of-the-art econometric methods and collect novel survey data on teachers and schools. Our work is guided by education research and practice and stakeholder input.
By comparing multidimensional outcomes between students with and without mental, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders along a range of teacher and school characteristics, we will investigate the mechanisms through which schools and teachers shape this link.
Understanding this link is crucial, as pertinent inequality and a threat to inclusivity are created when children with mental, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders are systematically prevented from reaping the benefits of education. Even minor difficulties arising from mental, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders have the potential to place children on life trajectories characterized by poverty and social exclusion.
We will combine state-of-the-art economic tools with a unique data collection guided by concepts from educational literature and input from key stakeholders in the field.
Researchers
Internal
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christiansen, Laurits Høegh | Student FU | ||
| Valder, Franziska | Assistant Professor | +4535330917 |
External
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Michaela Paffenholz | Doctor, economist |
Funding
Project period: 1 March 2026 – 31 December 2030
PI: Franziska Valder
Co-PI: Michaela Paffenholz