Do Behavioral Interventions Enhance the Effects of Cash on Early Childhood Development and Its Determinants? Evidence from a Cluster-Randomized Trial in Madagascar
This paper evaluates the effects of interventions based on behavioral science on measures of early childhood socio-cognitive development (and related household-level outcomes) for children from households receiving cash transfers in Madagascar, usi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/584931628529502179/Do-Behavioral-Interventions-Enhance-the-Effects-of-Cash-on-Early-Childhood-Development-and-Its-Determinants-Evidence-from-a-Cluster-Randomized-Trial-in-Madagascar http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36111 |
| Summary: | This paper evaluates the effects of
interventions based on behavioral science on measures of
early childhood socio-cognitive development (and related
household-level outcomes) for children from households
receiving cash transfers in Madagascar, using a multi-arm
cluster-randomized trial. Three behavioral interventions (a
Mother Leaders group and associated activities, by itself or
augmented with a self-affirmation or a plan-making nudge)
are layered onto a child-focused cash transfer program
targeting children from birth to age six years.
Approximately 18 months into the implementation of these
interventions and 20 months since baseline, the study finds
evidence that households in the behaviorally enhanced arms
undertake more desirable parenting behaviors, interact more
with their children, prepare more (and more diverse) meals
at home, and report lower food insecurity than households
that received only cash. Children from households in several
of the behaviorally enhanced arms also perform better than
children from households in the cash-only arm on several
measures of socio-cognitive development, including language
learning and social skills. |
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