American Economic Review Vol. 103 No. 6 2013

Understanding the Mechanisms Through Which an Influential Early Childhood Program Boosted Adult Outcomes

James J. Heckman¹; Rodrigo Pinto²; Peter A. Savelyev³

¹ Department of Economics, University of Chicago, 1126 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637, University College Dublin, and American Bar Foundation. · ² Department of Economics, University of Chicago, 1126 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637. · ³ Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University, PMB 351819, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235-1819, and Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy, Meharry Medical College.

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.

DOI

10.1257/aer.103.6.2052

Volume

103

Issue

6

Pages

2052-2086

Language

en

Sources

bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

Cite

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