Caution must therefore be exercised in interpreting results , but the case for investment in parenting and health visitor-related programmes appears most strong , especially when impacts beyond the health sector are taken into account .
In the workplace an economic return on investment in a number of comprehensive workplace health promotion programmes and stress management projects ( largely in the USA ) was reported , while group-based exercise and psychosocial interventions are of potential benefit to older people .
Long-term economic costs of psychological problems during childhood.
Childhood psychological conditions including depression and substance abuse are a growing concern among American children , but their long-term economic costs are unknown . This paper uses unique data from the US Panel Study of Income Dynamics ( PSID ) following groups of siblings and their parents for up to 40 years prospect ively collecting information on education , income , work  , and marriage . Following siblings offers an opportunity to control for unobserved family and neighborhood effects . A retrospective child health history design ed by the author was placed into the 2007 PSID wave measuring whether respondents had any of 14 childhood physical illnesses or suffered from depression , substance abuse , or other psychological conditions . Large effects are found on the ability of affected children to work and earn as adults . Educational accomplishments are diminished , and adult family incomes are reduced by 20 % or $ 10,400 per year with $ 18,000 less family household assets . Lost income is partly a consequence of seven fewer weeks worked per year . There is also an 11 % point lower probability of being married . Controlling for physical childhood diseases shows that these effects are not due to the co-existence of psychological and physical diseases , and estimates controlling for within-sibling differences demonstrate that these effects are not due to unobserved common family differences . The long-term economic damages of childhood psychological problems are large-a lifetime cost in lost family income of approximately $ 300,000 , and total lifetime economic cost for all those affected of 2.1 trillion dollars
Caution must therefore be exercised in interpreting results , but the case for investment in parenting and health visitor-related programmes appears most strong , especially when impacts beyond the health sector are taken into account .
In the workplace an economic return on investment in a number of comprehensive workplace health promotion programmes and stress management projects ( largely in the USA ) was reported , while group-based exercise and psychosocial interventions are of potential benefit to older people .