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Can Social Protection Affect Psychosocial Wellbeing and Why Does This Matter? Lessons from Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Ramlatu Attah
  • Valentina Barca
  • Andrew Kardan
  • Ian MacAuslan
  • Fred Merttens
  • Luca Pellerano

Abstract

Social protection interventions have been demonstrated to improve traditional measures of poverty by protecting people from risk. Less research has been conducted on their impacts on psychosocial dimensions of wellbeing – self-acceptance, autonomy and purpose in life among others –, that are both intrinsically and instrumentally important. This paper provides evidence from a mixed method evaluation of a cash transfer in Kenya, and from systematic cross-country qualitative research from Ghana, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. It shows that cash transfers can have positive impacts on psychosocial wellbeing leading to further positive impacts on educational performance, participation in social life and empowerment for decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramlatu Attah & Valentina Barca & Andrew Kardan & Ian MacAuslan & Fred Merttens & Luca Pellerano, 2016. "Can Social Protection Affect Psychosocial Wellbeing and Why Does This Matter? Lessons from Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(8), pages 1115-1131, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:52:y:2016:i:8:p:1115-1131
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2015.1134777
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ian MacAuslan & Nils Riemenschneider, 2011. "Richer but Resented: What do Cash Transfers do to Social Relations?," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(6), pages 60-66, November.
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    5. Alan Sánchez & Ingo Outes & Oswaldo Molina, 2010. "Psychosocial Status and Cognitive Achievement in Peru (Estado psicosocial y desarrollo cognitivo en el Perú)," Documentos de Trabajo (Niños del Milenio-GRADE) ninosm65, Niños del Milenio (Young Lives).
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    9. Karen Macours & Norbert Schady & Renos Vakis, 2012. "Cash Transfers, Behavioral Changes, and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 4(2), pages 247-273, April.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Ebenezer Owusu‐Addo & Andre M. N. Renzaho & Paul Sarfo‐Mensah & Yaw A. Sarpong & William Niyuni & Ben J. Smith, 2023. "Sustainability of cash transfer programs: A realist case study," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(2), pages 173-198, June.
    4. Hare Krisna Kundo & Martin Brueckner & Rochelle Spencer & John Davis, 2021. "Mainstreaming climate adaptation into social protection: The issues yet to be addressed," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 953-974, August.
    5. García, Sandra & Harker, Arturo & Cuartas, Jorge, 2019. "Building dreams: The short-term impacts of a conditional cash transfer program on aspirations for higher education," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 48-57.
    6. Franziska Gassmann & Bruno Martorano & Jennifer Waidler, 2022. "How Social Assistance Affects Subjective Wellbeing: Lessons from Kyrgyzstan," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(4), pages 827-847, April.
    7. Bilbao-Goyoaga, Eugenia, 2023. "Perceptions Matter: Quasi-Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Minimum Income on Objective and Subjective Financial Wellbeing in Spain," SocArXiv wv7xt, Center for Open Science.
    8. Pouw, Nicky R.M. & Rohregger, Barbara & Schüring, Esther & Alatinga, Kennedy A. & Kinuthia, Bethuel & Bender, Katja, 2020. "Social protection in Ghana and Kenya through an inclusive development Lens. Complex effects and risks," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    9. Sylvia Shangani & Don Operario & Becky Genberg & Kipruto Kirwa & Miriam Midoun & Lukoye Atwoli & David Ayuku & Omar Galárraga & Paula Braitstein, 2017. "Unconditional government cash transfers in support of orphaned and vulnerable adolescents in western Kenya: Is there an association with psychological wellbeing?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, May.
    10. Ramlatu Attah & Valentina Barca & Andrew Kardan & Ian MacAuslan & Fred Merttens & Luca Pellerano, 2016. "Cash transfers and psychosocial well-being: evidence from four African countries," One Pager 333, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    11. Rachel Sabates-Wheeler & Nikhil Wilmink & Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai & Richard de Groot & Tayllor Spadafora, 2020. "Linking Social Rights to Active Citizenship for the Most Vulnerable: the Role of Rights and Accountability in the ‘Making’ and ‘Shaping’ of Social Protection," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(1), pages 129-151, January.
    12. Prince Osei‐Wusu Adjei & Joyce Osei Adjei & Richard Serbeh, 2020. "Looking Beyond Cash Transfers for Optimizing Poverty Reduction and Livelihood Sustainability in Rural Ghana: Comparative Analysis of Two Social Policy Interventions Against Poverty," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 84-111, March.
    13. Kilburn, Kelly & Handa, Sudhanshu & Angeles, Gustavo & Mvula, Peter & Tsoka, Maxton, 2017. "Short-term impacts of an unconditional cash transfer program on child schooling: Experimental evidence from Malawi," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 63-80.
    14. Daniel Morales Martínez & Alexandre Gori Maia, 2018. "The Impacts of Cash Transfers on Subjective Wellbeing and Poverty: The Case of Colombia," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 616-633, December.
    15. Ma, Zhao & Bauchet, Jonathan & Steele, Diana & Godoy, Ricardo & Radel, Claudia & Zanotti, Laura, 2017. "Comparison of Direct Transfers for Human Capital Development and Environmental Conservation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 498-517.
    16. Jose Cuesta & Mario Negre & Ana Revenga & Maika Schmidt, 2018. "Tackling Income Inequality: What Works and Why?," Journal of Income Distribution, Ad libros publications inc., vol. 26(1), pages 1-48, March.
    17. Alik-Lagrange, Arthur & Dreier, Sarah K. & Lake, Milli & Porisky, Alesha, 2021. "Social protection and state-society relations in environments of low and uneven state capacity," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110766, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Adhikari, Tamanna & Greyling, Talita & Rossouw, Stephanie, 2021. "The ugly truth about social welfare payments and households' subjective well-being," GLO Discussion Paper Series 883, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    19. Chakrabarti, Averi & Handa, Sudhanshu & Angeles, Gustavo & Seidenfeld, David, 2020. "A cash plus program reduces youth exposure to physical violence in Zimbabwe," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    20. Aurino, Elisabetta & Morrow, Virginia, 2018. "“Food prices were high, and the dal became watery”. Mixed-method evidence on household food insecurity and children’s diets in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 211-224.
    21. Rock, Amelia & Barrington, Clare & Abdoulayi, Sara & Tsoka, Maxton & Mvula, Peter & Handa, Sudhanshu, 2016. "Social networks, social participation, and health among youth living in extreme poverty in rural Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 55-62.

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