Understanding the Mechanisms Through Which an Influential Early Childhood Program Boosted Adult Outcomes

James Heckman, Rodrigo Pinto and Peter Savelyev ()

No 7040, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: A growing literature establishes that high quality early childhood interventions targeted toward disadvantaged children have substantial impacts on later life outcomes. Little is known about the mechanisms producing these impacts. This paper uses longitudinal data on cognitive and personality traits from an experimental evaluation of the influential Perry Preschool program to analyze the channels through which the program boosted both male and female participant outcomes. Experimentally induced changes in personality traits explain a sizable portion of adult treatment effects.

Keywords: early childhood interventions; human development; human capital; factor analysis; academic motivation; externalizing behavior; personality traits; cognitive traits; social experiments; Perry Preschool program; experimentally estimated production functions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 I28 I29 J13 J15 J16 J24 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 50 pages
Date: 2012-11
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (53)

Published - published in: American Economic Review, 2013, 103 (6), 2052-86

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Related works:
Journal Article: Understanding the Mechanisms through Which an Influential Early Childhood Program Boosted Adult Outcomes (2013)
Working Paper: Understanding the Mechanisms through Which an Influential Early Childhood Program Boosted Adult Outcomes (2012)
Working Paper: Understanding the Mechanisms through Which an Influential Early Childhood Program Boosted Adult Outcomes (2012)
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