Height in mid childhood and psychosocial competencies in late childhood: Evidence from four developing countries

Stefan Dercon and Alan Sanchez

Economics & Human Biology, 2013, vol. 11, issue 4, 426-432

Abstract: We use longitudinal data from children growing up in four developing countries (Peru, India, Vietnam, Ethiopia) to study the relationship between height at the age of 7–8 and a set of psychosocial competencies measured at the age of 11–12 that are known to be correlated with earnings during adulthood: self-efficacy, self-esteem and aspirations. Results show that a one standard deviation increase in height-for-age tends to increase self-efficacy, self-esteem and aspirations by 10.4%, 6.4% and 5.1%, respectively. We argue that these findings are likely to be informing of an underlying relationship between undernutrition and the formation of non-cognitive skills.

Keywords: Height; Undernutrition; Psychosocial competencies; Non-cognitive skills; Peru; India; Ethiopia; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:11:y:2013:i:4:p:426-432

DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2013.04.001

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