Elisabetta Lodigiani (University of Padua)
Andrea Berlanda, José Escarce and Lorenzo Rocco
This paper analyzes the impact of school entry age policy on adolescent risk--taking behaviors. In Spain, children must begin primary education in the year they turn six, with a January 1st cutoff date, leading to relative age differences within each academic cohort. Using data from the Spanish School Survey on Drug Use, we analyze a broad range of risky behaviors, including substance use, gambling, gaming, internet use, and sexual activity among students in compulsory education. By comparing students born just before and after the cutoff date, we find that younger students (born below the cutoff) are less likely to engage in risky behaviors compared to older students (born above the cutoff) in the same birth cohort. These results hold across various robustness checks, including using different bandwidths. Further analysis suggests that differences in absolute age---reflecting differences in maturity---and the educational cycle contribute to these findings. When controlling for age differences, young--for--grade appear more likely to smoke marijuana and tobacco, and use internet compulsively. These results are primarily driven by boys. Additional exploration suggests that most behavioral differences fade out by late adolescence in high school. This research broadens our understanding of the non--academic impacts of school entry age policies contributing to the literature on education policy and adolescent development.