In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a World mental health report titled ‘Transforming mental health for all’ that summarizes key statistics about the global mental health emergency. It highlights that:

• Nearly one billion people (1 in 8 people) live with a mental disorder
• Mental disorders, such as anxiety, depressive, developmental, bipolar, schizophrenia, stress, eating and other disorders, account for 1 in every 6 years lived with disability (YLD) globally
• People with severe mental health conditions die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population
• Having a mental health condition increases the risks of suicide and of experiencing abuses and violations
• Around 8% of the world’s young children (aged 5-9 years) and 14% of the world’s adolescents (aged 10-19 years) live with a mental health disorder
• Rates of already common conditions, such as depression and anxiety, increased by more than 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and are having long-standing impacts even years after the pandemic is officially over

Even though their economic and social consequences are enormous, mental health conditions are severely underserved by the national health systems. Only 2% of the health budgets, on average, go to mental health. As a result, 71% of the people with psychosis do not receive mental health services, with the treatment gap for severe mental health conditions being a staggering 90%. As the WHO report states, “mental health is an integral part of our general health and wellbeing, and a basic human right". All WHO member states are currently committed to implementing the ‘Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2030’, which aims to improve mental health by, among other things, implementing promotion and prevention strategies, and strengthening evidence and research. World Mental Health Day is marked every year on 10th October to raise awareness about mental health around the world and to mobilize efforts to support those experiencing mental health disorders.

This Research Topic on ‘Behavioral economics and mental health’ aims to encourage and recognize progress in behavioral economics research in this policy-relevant but largely under-investigated area. We also aim to contribute to making mental health for all a global priority. Despite such a global mental health emergency, a relatively limited number of behavioral economics studies to date have looked at mental health (compared to the numbers of studies applied to physical health).

We welcome submissions on topics such as:

• Behavioral economics aspects of mental health and of mental health disruptions, interventions, and policies
• Behavioral economics interventions for mental health, including mental health care and delivery
• Impact of behavioral economics interventions on mental health and psychological wellbeing
• Behavioral economics insights into the long-term impact of pandemics and crises on mental health

We are interested in high-quality studies focusing on diverse samples and different groups of the population, in both developed and developing countries. Empirical studies should be conducted using state-of-the art methods and provide evidence based on experimental or non-experimental data. Studies should have appropriate sample sizes and research designs, ideally pre-registered. The authors should also be prepared to share anonymized datasets and replication packages or request an exemption for doing so.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Behavioral Economics and Mental Health