The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviors

Gabriella Conti, James J. Heckman, Rodrigo Pinto

NBER Working Paper No. 21454
Issued in August 2015
NBER Program(s):Program on Children, Health Care Program, Health Economics Program, Labor Studies Program

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.

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Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w21454

Published: Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto, 2016. "The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(596), pages 28-65, October. citation courtesy of

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