Working Paper: NBER ID: w21454
Authors: Gabriella Conti; James J. Heckman; Rodrigo Pinto
Abstract: This paper examines the long-term impacts on health and healthy behaviors of two of the oldest and most widely cited U.S. early childhood interventions evaluated by the method of randomization with long-term follow-up: the Perry Preschool Project (PPP) and the Carolina Abecedarian Project (ABC). There are pronounced gender effects strongly favoring boys, although there are also effects for girls. Dynamic mediation analyses show a significant role played by improved childhood traits, above and beyond the effects of experimentally enhanced adult socioeconomic status. These results show the potential of early life interventions for promoting health.
Keywords: Health; Early Childhood Intervention; Social Experiment; Randomized Trial; Abecedarian Project; Perry Preschool Project
JEL Codes: C12; C93; I12; I13; J13; J24
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Perry Preschool Project (PPP) treatment group (I21) | lower prevalence of behavioral risk factors in adulthood (I12) |
| Abecedarian Project (ABC) treatment group (C90) | better physical health in mid-30s (I19) |
| Abecedarian Project (ABC) males (J13) | stronger treatment effects (C90) |
| early life interventions (J13) | promote health and prevent disease (I19) |
| improved childhood traits (J13) | better health outcomes (I14) |