The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviors

Gabriella Conti, James J. Heckman () and Rodrigo Pinto
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James J. Heckman: University of Chicago

No 9247, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper examines the long-term impacts on health and healthy behaviors of two of the oldest and most widely cited U.S. early childhood interventions evaluated by the method of randomization with long-term follow- up: the Perry Preschool Project (PPP) and the Carolina Abecedarian Project (ABC). There are pronounced gender effects strongly favoring boys, although there are also effects for girls. Dynamic mediation analyses show a significant role played by improved childhood traits, above and beyond the effects of experimentally enhanced adult socioeconomic status. These results show the potential of early life interventions for promoting health.

Keywords: Abecedarian Project; randomized trial; social experiment; early childhood intervention; health; Perry Preschool Project (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C12 C93 I12 I13 J13 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 55 pages
Date: 2015-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-exp, nep-hea, nep-lma and nep-ltv
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (24)

Published - Published in: Economic Journal, 2016, 126 (596), F28-F65.

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviour (2016)
Working Paper: The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviors (2015)
Working Paper: The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviors (2015)
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