Anti‐Bullying Laws and Suicidal Behaviors Among Teenagers

The CDC reports that the association between bullying and suicides among teenagers has generated “concern, even panic,” but policies aimed at combatting have received little attention from researchers. Using a difference-in-differences estimation strategy, we find state-level anti-bullying laws (ABLs) reduce victimization, depression, suicidal ideation, with largest estimated effects for female who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning. In addition, ABLs are associated 13 to 16 percent reduction in suicide rate of 14- through 18-year-olds. Event-study analyses falsification tests provide evidence these estimates can be interpreted causally.