Can early intervention policies improve wellbeing? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial

Michael Daly, Liam Delaney, Orla Doyle, Nick Fitzpatrick and Christine O'Farrelly
Additional contact information
Michael Daly: Behavioural Science Centre, Stirling Management School, Stirling University
Nick Fitzpatrick: UCD Geary Institute, University College Dublin
Christine O'Farrelly: UCD Geary Institute, University College Dublin

No 201410, Working Papers from Geary Institute, University College Dublin

Abstract: Many authors have proposed incorporating measures of well-being into evaluations of public policy. Yet few evaluations use experimental design or examine multiple aspects of well-being, thus the causal impact of public policies on well-being is largely unknown. In this paper we examine the effect of an intensive early intervention program on maternal well-being in a targeted disadvantaged community. Using a randomized controlled trial design we estimate and compare treatment effects on global well-being using measures of life satisfaction, experienced well-being using both the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) and a measure of mood yesterday, and also a standardized measure of parenting stress. The intervention has no significant impact on negative measures of well-being, such as experienced negative affect as measured by the DRM and global measures of well-being such as life satisfaction or a global measure of parenting stress. Significant treatment effects are observed on experienced measures of positive affect using the DRM, and a measure of mood yesterday. The DRM treatment effects are primarily concentrated during times spent without the target child which may reflect the increased effort and burden associated with additional parental investment. Our findings suggest that a maternal-focused intervention may produce meaningful improvements in experienced well-being. Incorporating measures of experienced affect may thus alter cost-benefit calculations for public policies.

Keywords: Wellbeing; Randomised Controlled Trial; Early Intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I00 I39 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 59 pages
Date: 2014-10-23
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp and nep-hap
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Can Early Intervention Policies Improve Well-being? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial (2014)
Working Paper: Can Early Intervention Policies Improve Well-being? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial * (2014)
Working Paper: Can Early Intervention Policies Improve Well-being? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ucd:wpaper:201410

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