Stigma Leads to Avoidance of Mental Health Information: Behavioral Economics Approach (Job Market Paper)
Abstract:
This study experimentally examines how individual level mental health stigma affects self-evaluation of mental fitness and demand for diagnostic information. In my randomized priming experiment, two groups of subjects read some facts about depression with either negative or positive connotations. Next, they were asked to report their self-assessment of their own depression severity and willingness to receive the diagnostic information. Among married and also employed subjects, under-assessment of symptom severity and avoidance of diagnostic information were more likely to be observed among those who read negative messages about depression compared to those who read positive messages. The results tentatively support a theory in which individuals are motivated to hold positively biased beliefs about their mental fitness by being selectively exposed to information, and mental health stigma plays a mediating role during the process. Also, these findings provide a potential explanation regarding depressed individuals’ simultaneous manifestation of denial about their depression and reluctance in help-seeking.</div>
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Working Paper
A Model of Optimal Mental Health Belief
Abstract:
Based on the ‘optimal expectation model’ by Brunnermeier and Parker (2005), I build a model of optimal mental health belief formation. The model assumes individuals optimally choose their subjective beliefs about their own mental health state rather than taking it as exogenously given. The optimal belief is determined by taking into consideration both the psychological felicity from under-evaluating one’s own mental health risk and the potential costs from holding such optimistic view. The implication is that individuals develop positively biased subjective belief about their mental health state and tend to avoid knowing the true state in order to maintain the biased belief. Also, in my model, mental health stigma plays a role in a way that leads both the under-evaluation of mental health risk and diagnosis avoidance to be more likely.
Impact of Supply Chain Management Performance on the Connected Firms’ Growth in a Supply Chain Network
Abstract:
In this study, two hypotheses regarding performances of the manufacturing firms’ in the US are tested using COMPUSTAT panel data. The first hypothesis is the existence of causality from firms’ supply chain or stock management performance to their own sales growth rate. The second hypothesis is the existence of causality from downstream firms’ supply chain or stock management performance to the upstream firms’ sales growth rate, with the direction of effect to be determined by econometric analysis. Two hypotheses are tested using fixed effect model and fixed effect IV model. The results indicate the first hypothesis is valid. As for the second hypothesis, the estimated effect has negative sign which implies downstream firms’ efficiency in supply chain or stock management negatively affects the upstream firms’ growth. A possible interpretation regarding this negative sign is that downstream firms’ frugality in terms of raw material purchase might negatively affect upstream firms’ sales volume.
Work in Progress
Effect of Denial of Depression on The Spouse’s Mental Health Among Korean Elderly