The Hidden Long-Term Impact of School Suspensions on Mental Health

Recent research from the University of Arkansas has found that **exclusionary discipline practices** like suspensions and expulsions can lead to increased rates of depression through adolescence and into early adulthood. The study, published in *Advances in Life Course Research*, reveals that students suspended or expelled experience *significantly higher depressive symptoms* throughout their lives. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), researchers tracked mental health patterns of 20,000 individuals who were adolescents in the 1990s, finding that depression symptoms resurfaced in early adulthood. This study sheds light on the impact of stressors in educational settings, a relatively unexplored area of research compared to adverse experiences at home. Driven by **zero-tolerance policies**, suspensions and expulsions increased by 50% between the 1970s and 2010, often for less severe behaviors. **Exclusionary discipline** has disproportionately targeted boys, economically disadvantaged students, and Black, Latino, and Native American students, raising urgent questions about its effectiveness. Co-author Michael Niño emphasizes the need for more research into how such school-related stressors affect long-term mental and physical health. Another study by Niño indicates similar trends in physical health deterioration linked to suspensions. The research team, including Alexia Angton and others, calls for **reform in school discipline policies** to mitigate these long-term health implications.