Primate Evidence on the Late Health Effects of Early Life Adversity

Gabriella Conti, Christopher Hansman, James Heckman, Matthew F. X. Novak, Angela Ruggiero and Stephen J. Suomi

No 18002, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper exploits a unique ongoing experiment to analyze the effects of early rearing conditions on physical and mental health in a sample of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). We analyze the health records of 231 monkeys which were randomly allocated at birth across three rearing conditions: Mother Rearing, Peer Rearing, and Surrogate Peer Rearing. We show that the lack of a secure attachment relationship in the early years engendered by adverse rearing conditions has detrimental long-term effects on health which are not compensated by a normal social environment later in life.

JEL-codes: I12 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-04
Note: CH EH
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

Published as G. Conti & C. Hansman & J. J. Heckman & M. F. X. Novak & A. Ruggiero & S. J. Suomi, 2012. "Primate evidence on the late health effects of early-life adversity," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol 109(23), pages 8866-8871.

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Working Paper: Primate Evidence on the Late Health Effects of Early Life Adversity (2012)
Working Paper: Primate Evidence on the Late Health Effects of Early Life Adversity (2012)
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