Table 2

Description of the variables used and their expected signs in the regression

Variable typeSymbolsVariable description/definitionDatabase used
Dependent variablesMental disordersMHShare of the population with mental health disorders out of the total population. According to the IHME, it includes anxiety disorders, depression disorders, schizophrenia, drug and alcohol disorders, bipolar disorders, and eating disorders
Depressive disordersDEDepressive disorders range in severity from disaggregation to moderate persistent depression (dysthymia) to major depressive disorder (MDD) (severe)
Anxiety disordersADPhobias, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and generalized anxiety disorders are examples of anxiety disorders
Alcohol use disordersAUDAnnual average alcohol consumption of alcohol, expressed per person aged 15 years or older, reported in litres of pure alcohol per year
Bipolar disorderBDBipolar disorder is a condition in which a person’s mood and activity levels are affected by a wide range of factors, ranging from low energy and activity (mania) to hypomania (hypomania) or depression
Drug use disordersDUDAccording to the UNODC’s categorization, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis are the illegal drug classes that are utilized in worldwide statistics
Eating disordersEDEating disorders are mental diseases characterized by abnormal eating practices. As a result, this encompasses a wide range of disordered eating behaviors; a considerable proportion of eating disorders come under the definitions of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
SchizophreniaSSchizophrenia is characterized by echoes of thought, insertions or withdrawal, and broadcasting of thoughts. It can cause hallucinations, delusions of control, influence, or passivity, or hallucinations of body parts moving or reacting abnormally
Independent variables (IV)SymbolsVariable description/definitionExptd. SignDatabase used
unemploymentUN% of the unemployed population (out of the total population)+/−WDI
GDP per Capita growthGDPPCGGDP per capita, PPP (constant 2017 international $)+/−WDI
Globalization indexGLOBThe KOF globalization index measures the economic, social, and political aspects of globalization+/−KOF GLOBALIZATION INDEX
UrbanizationURBAN% of urbanisation population (out of the total population)+/−WDI
Out-of-school childOSC% of children out of schoolWDI
InstitutionsINSTThe institutional variable is comprised of the sum of the five most essential governance metrics: (1) government stability, (2) law and order, (3) corruption, (4 bureaucracy quality, and (5) investment profile+/−ICRG
Varieties of democracyDEMOElectoral democracy (elecdem), liberal democracy (liberdem), deliberative democracy (delibdem), egalitarian democracy (egalitdem), participatory democracy (participdem)+/−Varieties of Democracy Dataset v11
Source(s): Original design by the authors

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