Welfare stigma and the mental health of tweens and teen

Over the past decade societal concerns about children’s health issues have risen steadily—as childhood obesity, early onset type-2 diabetes, and mental illness have become increasingly common conditions amongst America’s youth. Given their particularly vulnerable position, the health and wellness outcomes of children in low-income families have been (and continue to be) an issue of particular interest. As such, there is a well-developed body of literature that examines the impact participation in programs like SNAP, WIC, and the National School Lunch Program have on a child’s nutritional habits, dietary awareness, body mass index, participation in physical activity, and overall health. While this work has contributed to our understanding of the role social welfare programs play in children’s health production, the possibility of a “welfare stigma” (well documented for adults) extending to children has not been considered. This could have important policy implications as mental health plays a large role in children’s ability to focus and succeed at school, which in turn influences their experiences in the labor market. It is possible, that participating in programs could be simultaneously exerting a positive influence on a child’s physical health and a negative influence on their mental health. If this is indeed the case, policy actions designed to minimize the deleterious effects should be considered.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) this paper examines the effect program participation has on a child’s mental health (as measured by a trained professional), behavior, and school discipline record. This research extends our knowledge of the costs and benefits associated with program participation and will help guide future policy discussions.