Working Paper: NBER ID: w18581
Authors: James J. Heckman; Rodrigo Pinto; Peter A. Savelyev
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; Perry Preschool Program; adult outcomes; psychological skills; cognitive skills
JEL Codes: I21; I28; I29; J13; J15; J16; J24; O15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Perry Preschool Program (I21) | personality skills (G53) |
| personality skills (G53) | adult outcomes (I26) |
| Perry Preschool Program (I21) | adult outcomes (I26) |
| personality skills (G53) | education (I29) |
| personality skills (G53) | employment (J68) |
| personality skills (G53) | health behaviors (I12) |
| personality skills (G53) | crime rates (K42) |
| externalizing behaviors (D91) | labor market outcomes (J48) |
| externalizing behaviors (D91) | criminal activities (K42) |
| Perry Preschool Program (I21) | externalizing behaviors (D91) |
| Perry Preschool Program (I21) | academic motivation (I23) |
| academic motivation (I23) | achievement test scores (C12) |