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Stay in the Game: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Sports and Life Skills Program for Vulnerable Youth in Liberia

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  • Lori Beaman
  • Sylvan Herskowitz
  • Niall Keleher
  • Jeremy Magruder

Abstract

Over the past two decades, sports programs have proliferated as a mode of engaging youth in development projects. Thousands of organizations, millions of participants, and hundreds of millions of dollars are invested in sports-based development programs each year. The underlying belief that sports promote socioemotional skills, improve psychological well-being, and foster traits that boost labor force productivity has provided motivation to expand funding and offerings of sport-for-development programs. We partnered with an international nongovernmental organization to randomly assign 1,200 young adults to a sports and life skills development program. While we do not see evidence of improved psychosocial outcomes or resilience, we do find evidence that the program caused a 0.12 standard deviation increase in labor force participation. Secondary analysis suggests that the effects are strongest among those likely to be most disadvantaged in the labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Lori Beaman & Sylvan Herskowitz & Niall Keleher & Jeremy Magruder, 2021. "Stay in the Game: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Sports and Life Skills Program for Vulnerable Youth in Liberia," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 70(1), pages 129-158.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:doi:10.1086/711651
    DOI: 10.1086/711651
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    Cited by:

    1. Shah,Manisha & Seager,Jennifer & Montalvao Machado,Joao H. C. & Goldstein,Markus P., 2022. "Two Sides of Gender : Sex, Power, and Adolescence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10072, The World Bank.

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