Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Nearly all global populations (99%) are exposed to air quality levels that exceed the guidelines set by the World Health Organization, posing significant health risks. Concurrently, mental health issues among adolescents are prevalent. However, existing research on the impact of air pollution on mental health has predominantly focused on older age groups, with limited attention to adolescents. METHODS: This study explores the relationship between air pollution and adolescent mental health by utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies and county-level air pollution statistics. To address potential endogeneity issues, this paper employs the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method for estimations. RESULTS: The research reveals a negative impact of air pollution on adolescent mental well-being. Specifically, a one-unit increase in Particulate Matter 2.5 corresponds to a 0.319-point increase in the mental health score, based on an 8-item scale designed to rapidly assess depressive symptoms; higher scores indicate more severe depressive tendencies. DISCUSSION: Mechanism discussions show that air pollution adversely affects adolescent mental health by negatively influencing height and weight, increasing the risk of chronic diseases, extending computer use time, reducing the likelihood of walking to school, and disrupting sleep quality. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the impact of air pollution is more pronounced among females, urban students, and those below high school level.