Working Paper: NBER ID: w29292
Authors: Paul Gertler; James J. Heckman; Rodrigo Pinto; Susan M. Chang; Sally Grantham-McGregor; Christel Vermeersch; Susan Walker; Amika Wright
Abstract: We report the labor market effects of the Jamaica Early Childhood Stimulation intervention at age 31. The study is a small-sample randomized early childhood education stimulation intervention targeting stunted children living in the poor neighborhoods of Kingston, Jamaica. Implemented in 1987-1989, treatment consisted of a two-year home-based intervention designed to improve nutrition and the quality of mother-child interactions to foster cognitive, language and psycho-social skills. The original sample is 127 stunted children between 9 and 24 months old. Our study is able to track and interview 75% of the original sample 30 years after the intervention, both still living in Jamaica and migrated abroad. We find large and statistically significant effects on income and schooling; the treatment group had 43% higher hourly wages and 37% higher earnings than the control group. This is a substantial increase over the treatment effect estimated for age 22 where we observed a 25% increase in earnings. The Jamaican Study is a rare case of a long-term follow up for an early childhood development (ECD) intervention implemented in a less-developed country. Our results confirm large economic returns to an early childhood intervention that targeted disadvantaged families living in poverty in the poor neighborhoods of Jamaica. The Jamaican intervention is being replicated around the world. Our analysis provides justification for expanding ECD interventions targeting disadvantaged children living in poor countries around the world.
Keywords: Early Childhood Development; Jamaican Study; Labor Market Outcomes
JEL Codes: C31; I21; J13
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Jamaica Early Childhood Stimulation Intervention (I25) | labor market outcomes at age 31 (J49) |
| Jamaica Early Childhood Stimulation Intervention (I25) | cognitive and psychosocial skills (G53) |
| cognitive and psychosocial skills (G53) | labor market outcomes at age 31 (J49) |
| labor market outcomes at age 31 (J49) | economic outcomes (F61) |
| Jamaica Early Childhood Stimulation Intervention (I25) | economic outcomes (F61) |