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Eviction, inability to pay rent, and youth mental health: a fixed effects study.

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Title: Eviction, inability to pay rent, and youth mental health: a fixed effects study.
Authors: Schwartz GL; Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States., Harriman NW; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, United States., Ramphal B; Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, United States., Slopen N; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, United States.; Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States.
Source: American journal of epidemiology [Am J Epidemiol] 2025 Dec 02; Vol. 194 (12), pp. 3501-3509.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7910653 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1476-6256 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00029262 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Am J Epidemiol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: Cary, NC : Oxford University Press
Original Publication: Baltimore, School of Hygiene and Public Health of Johns Hopkins Univ.
MeSH Terms: Mental Health*/statistics & numerical data , Housing*/economics , Housing*/statistics & numerical data, Humans ; Adolescent ; Child ; Male ; Female ; United States/epidemiology ; Longitudinal Studies ; Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology
Abstract: Housing insecurity is now widespread among US youth. Evidence is limited, however, on how that is affecting their mental health. Longitudinal analyses examining specific, policy-modifiable forms of housing insecurity are especially lacking. We thus estimated associations between two housing exposures (eviction and family inability to pay housing bills) and youth mental health over time, including sleep disturbances. To do so, we analyzed all available waves of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study, a national cohort of US youth (2016-2021, n = 11 868, aged 9-13 years). Models adjusted for individual-level fixed effects and time-varying sociodemographic characteristics. Results show eviction and inability to pay rent/mortgage were both associated with worse mental health, including more severe internalizing, externalizing, and sleep disturbance symptoms. In models including both housing exposures, eviction associations were attenuated, while estimates for inability to pay were effectively unchanged. Given the prevalence of families having difficulty paying housing bills, findings suggest a large pool of young people whose mental well-being may be adversely affected. If these associations reflect cause, government efforts to prevent evictions (eg, right to counsel in housing court) or lower housing cost burden (cash assistance, public housing, zoning reform, etc.) would have important benefits for young people's psychological wellness.
(© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)
Grant Information: U24DA041147 United States NH NIH HHS; U24DA041123 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041089 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041093 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041148 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA051038 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041120 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041025 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041156 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA051039 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA050988 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041134 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041028 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041117 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041106 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041174 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA050987 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA051037 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA051018 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041022 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA051016 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA050989 United States NH NIH HHS; U01DA041048 United States NH NIH HHS; U54CA267735 National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: eviction; fixed effects analysis; housing costs; mental health; youth
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20250930 Date Completed: 20251202 Latest Revision: 20251204
Update Code: 20251204
PubMed Central ID: PMC12671969
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaf212
PMID: 41025967
Database: MEDLINE
Description
Abstract:Housing insecurity is now widespread among US youth. Evidence is limited, however, on how that is affecting their mental health. Longitudinal analyses examining specific, policy-modifiable forms of housing insecurity are especially lacking. We thus estimated associations between two housing exposures (eviction and family inability to pay housing bills) and youth mental health over time, including sleep disturbances. To do so, we analyzed all available waves of the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study, a national cohort of US youth (2016-2021, n = 11 868, aged 9-13 years). Models adjusted for individual-level fixed effects and time-varying sociodemographic characteristics. Results show eviction and inability to pay rent/mortgage were both associated with worse mental health, including more severe internalizing, externalizing, and sleep disturbance symptoms. In models including both housing exposures, eviction associations were attenuated, while estimates for inability to pay were effectively unchanged. Given the prevalence of families having difficulty paying housing bills, findings suggest a large pool of young people whose mental well-being may be adversely affected. If these associations reflect cause, government efforts to prevent evictions (eg, right to counsel in housing court) or lower housing cost burden (cash assistance, public housing, zoning reform, etc.) would have important benefits for young people's psychological wellness.<br /> (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)
ISSN:1476-6256
DOI:10.1093/aje/kwaf212