Effects of Cram Schooling on Academic Achievement and Mental Health of Junior High Students in Taiwan

Abstract

The role of private supplementary tutoring in the well-being of youth has been speculated upon but remains understudied. Using data from the Taiwan Educational Panel Survey gathered in 2001 and 2003, this study joins the inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting approach and seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) model to estimate effects of cram schooling on two correlated outcomes: academic achievement and depressive symptoms in Grade 9. The findings suggest that 9th grade cram schooling has a positive effect on both academic achievement and depression in Grade 9. In other words, while cram schooling increases 9th graders’ academic achievement, it raises the risk of depression as well.