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The Effects of Home Visiting on Mother-Child Interactions: Evidence from a Randomised Trial Using Dynamic Micro-Level Data

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Listed:
  • Conti, Gabriella

    (University College London)

  • Poupakis, Stavros

    (University College London)

  • Sandner, Malte

    (Technische Hochschule Nürnberg)

  • Kliem, Sören

    (Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony (KFN))

Abstract

Background: Home visiting programs constitute an important policy to support vulnerable families with young children. They mainly aim to improve infant-parent relationships, however evidence on their effectiveness based on observational measures is relatively scarce. The present study provides the rare opportunity to directly examine the effects of a home visiting program, the Pro Kind, on mother-child interactions in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods: A sample of 109 mother-child dyads was videotaped during a 3-min typical play situation at the participants' homes when the child was aged 25 months. We use a novel micro-coding system which allows us to examine how the intervention affected the dynamic feedback responses of both mothers and children in three key measures of behavior: orientation, positive contingency, and negative/lack of contingency. The study is registered in the German Clinical Trial Register (trial ID: DRKS00007554, date of registration: 11 June 2015). Results: The intervention significantly improved the interactions between girls and their mothers, both in strongly stable and partly unstable situations. Mixed impacts were detected for boys. Conclusions: These results have important implications for the analysis of mother-child interactions data and the design of home visiting programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Conti, Gabriella & Poupakis, Stavros & Sandner, Malte & Kliem, Sören, 2020. "The Effects of Home Visiting on Mother-Child Interactions: Evidence from a Randomised Trial Using Dynamic Micro-Level Data," IZA Discussion Papers 12937, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12937
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anderson, Michael L, 2008. "Multiple Inference and Gender Differences in the Effects of Early Intervention: A Reevaluation of the Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Early Training Projects," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt15n8j26f, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    2. Michael Baker & Kevin Milligan, 2016. "Boy-Girl Differences in Parental Time Investments: Evidence from Three Countries," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 10(4), pages 399-441.
    3. Nores, Milagros & Bernal, Raquel & Barnett, W. Steven, 2019. "Center-based care for infants and toddlers: The aeioTU randomized trial," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 30-43.
    4. García, Jorge Luis & Heckman, James J. & Ziff, Anna L., 2018. "Gender differences in the benefits of an influential early childhood program," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 9-22.
    5. Sarah A. Avellar & Lauren H. Supplee, 2013. "Effectiveness of Home Visiting in Improving Child Health and Reducing Child Maltreatment," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 2d00cdb4b2eb4fee8087572fc, Mathematica Policy Research.
    6. Anderson, Michael L., 2008. "Multiple Inference and Gender Differences in the Effects of Early Intervention: A Reevaluation of the Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Early Training Projects," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 103(484), pages 1481-1495.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    randomized controlled trial; mother-child interactions; home visiting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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