A counterfactual and random intercept cross‐lagged panel analysis of the effects of reading frequency on adolescent mental health in a large longitudinal study

Background Reading has been proposed as a protective factor in mental health; however, evaluating this is challenging due to a lack of trials and the possibility of confounding in observational studies. Methods We used the complementary approaches of covariate balancing propensity score weighting and random intercepts cross‐lagged panel models in the large longitudinal Zurich Project on Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood study. Outcomes were measured from age 13 to 20 for anxiety and depression and at age 20 for psychosis‐like symptoms. Results After accounting for potential confounding there were no significant effects of reading frequency on adolescent mental health across either approach. Conclusion Increasing reading frequency without considering motivation, content and style of reading engagement is not a promising protective factor in adolescent mental health.