title: Influence of mental disorders on school dropout in Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the impact of mental disorders on failure in educational attainment in Mexico.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnoses and age of onset for each of 16 DSM-IV disorders were assessed through retrospective self-reports with the Composite International Diagnostic Instrument (CIDI) during fieldwork in 2001-2002. Survival analysis was used to examine associations between early onset DSM-IV/CIDI disorders and subsequent school dropout or failure to reach educational milestones.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than one of two Mexicans did not complete secondary education. More than one-third of those who finished secondary education did not enter college, and one of four students who entered college did not graduate. Impulse control disorders and substance use disorders were associated with higher risk for school dropout, secondary school dropout and to a lesser degree failure to enter college. Anxiety disorders were associated with lower risk for school dropout, especially secondary school dropout and, to a lesser degree, primary school dropout.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The heterogeneity of results found in Mexico may be due to the effect of mental disorders being diminished or masked by the much greater effect of economic hardship and low cultural expectations for educational achievement. Future research should inquire deeper into possible reasons for the better performance of students with anxiety disorders in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico City, D.F, Mexico. guibor@imp.edu.mx
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: María Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Medina Mora-Icaza
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benjet
authors.forename: Sing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breslau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017579:Domestic Violence; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009042:Motivation; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology