Childcare and Parenting in the Production of Early Life Skills.

We use data from a randomized early childhood education program to estimate the production technology of early life skills. Estimates indicate that, for more disadvantaged children, parental investment is a more effective input for producing skills than childcare. The reverse is true for the more advantaged.

The Dynastic Benefits of Early-Childhood Education: Participant Benefits and Family Spillovers.

We demonstrate the social efficiency of investing in high-quality early childhood education using newly collected data from the HighScope Perry Preschool Project. The data analyzed are the longest follow-up of any randomized early childhood education program. Annual observations of participant outcomes up to midlife allow us to provide a cost-benefit analysis without relying on forecasts.

The Lasting Effects of Early-Childhood Education on Promoting the Skills and Social Mobility of Disadvantaged African Americans and Their Children.

This paper demonstrates the long-term intragenerational and intergenerational benefits of the HighScope Perry Preschool Project, which targeted disadvantaged African-American children. We use newly collected data on the original participants through late middle age and on their children into their mid-twenties. We document long-lasting improvements in the original participants' skills, marriage stability, earnings, criminal behavior, and health.

Parenting Promotes Social Mobility Within and Across Generations.

This paper compares early childhood enrichment programs that promote social mobility for disadvantaged children within and across generations. Instead of conducting a standard meta-analysis, we present a harmonized primary data analysis of programs that shape current policy. Our analysis is a template for rigorous syntheses and comparisons across programs.

Early childhood education and life-cycle health.

This study forecasts the life-cycle treatment effects on health of a high-quality early childhood program. Our predictions combine microsimulation using nonexperimental data with experimental data from a midlife long-term follow-up. The follow-up incorporated a full epidemiological exam.

Early childhood education and crime.

This article presents new evidence on the crime-reducing impacts of a high-quality, intensive early childhood program with long-term follow-up, evaluated by a randomized controlled trial. Proportionately, more women than men decrease their criminal activity after participating in the program. This gender difference arises because of the worse home environments for girls, with corresponding greater scope for improvement by the program.

Gender Differences in the Benefits of an Influential Early Childhood Program.

This paper studies the life-cycle impacts of a widely-emulated high-quality, intensive early childhood program with long-term follow up. The program starts early in life (at 8 weeks of age) and is evaluated by an RCT. There are multiple treatment effects which we summarize through interpretable aggregates.

Social Policy: Targeting programs effectively.

By linking data from a 40-year birth cohort study with multiple administrative databases, Caspi and colleagues show that 20% of the population accounts for 60% - 80% of several adult social ills. Outcomes for this group can be accurately predicted from as early as age 3, using a small set of indicators of disadvantage. This finding supports policies that target children from disadvantaged families and complements recent literature on the life-cycle benefits of early childhood programmes.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6-to 9-year-old school children in Cuenca, Ecuador: relationship with physical activity, poverty, and eating habits.

Background: The high prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is a health problem worldwide. In developing countries, we lack information on the extent of the problem and the risk factors involved.

Objective: To determine the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity and of abdominal obesity, and their relationship with physical activity, poverty, and eating habits in schoolchildren in Cuenca, Ecuador.