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The Socioeconomic Gradient of Child Development: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Children 6–42 Months in Bogota

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  • Marta Rubio-Codina
  • Orazio Attanasio
  • Costas Meghir
  • Natalia Varela
  • Sally Grantham-McGregor

Abstract

We study the socioeconomic gradient of child development on a sample of low- and middle-income children aged 6–42 months in Bogota using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. We find an average difference of 0.53, 0.42, and 0.49 standard deviations (SD) in cognition, receptive, and expressive language respectively, between children in the top and bottom quartile of the wealth distribution. These gaps increase substantially to 0.81 SD (cognition), 0.76 SD (receptive language), and 0.68 SD (expressive language) for children aged 31–42 months. These robust findings can inform the design and targeting of interventions promoting early childhood development.

Suggested Citation

  • Marta Rubio-Codina & Orazio Attanasio & Costas Meghir & Natalia Varela & Sally Grantham-McGregor, 2015. "The Socioeconomic Gradient of Child Development: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Children 6–42 Months in Bogota," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 50(2), pages 464-483.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:50:y:2015:i:2:p:464-483
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
    2. repec:idb:brikps:publication-detail,7101.html?id=32886 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. 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:

    1. Attanasio, Orazio & Lopez-Boo, Florencia & Perez-Lopez, Diana & Reynolds, Sarah Anne, 2024. "Inequality in the early years in LAC: a comparative study of size, persistence, and policies," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121590, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Orazio Attanasio & Sarah Cattan & Emla Fitzsimons & Costas Meghir & Marta Rubio-Codina, 2020. "Estimating the Production Function for Human Capital: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Colombia," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(1), pages 48-85, January.
    3. Jere Behrman & Dante Contreras & Isidora Palma & Esteban Puentes, 2017. "Wealth Disparities for Early Childhood Anthropometrics and Skills: Evidence from Chilean Longitudinal Data," Working Papers wp454, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    4. Orazio Attanasio & Helen Baker-Henningham & Raquel Bernal & Costas Meghir & Diana Pineda & Marta Rubio-Codina, 2022. "Early Stimulation and Nutrition: The Impacts of a Scalable Intervention," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 20(4), pages 1395-1432.
    5. M. Caridad Araujo & Yyannu Cruz-Aguayo & Analia Jaimovich & Sharon Lynn Kagan, 2015. "Drawing Up an Institutional Architecture," IDB Publications (Book Chapters), in: Samuel Berlinski & Norbert Schady (ed.), The Early Years: Child Well-Being and the Role of Public Policy, edition 1, chapter 7, pages 179-202, Inter-American Development Bank.
    6. Angelopoulos, Angelos & Economides, George & Liontos, George & Philippopoulos, Apostolis & Sakkas, Stelios, 2022. "Public redistributive policies in general equilibrium: An application to Greece," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    7. Costas Meghir & Orazio Attanasio & Sarah Cattan & Emla Fitzsimons & Marta Rubio-Codina, 2015. "Estimating the Production Function for Human Capital: Results from a Randomized Control Trial in Colombia," Working Papers 1046, Economic Growth Center, Yale University.
    8. Jere R. Behrman & Dante Contreras & Maria Isidora Palma & Esteban Puentes, 2024. "Socioeconomic Disparities for Early Childhood Anthropometrics and Vocabulary and Socio-emotional Skills: Dynamic Evidence from Chilean Longitudinal Data," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(1), pages 1-28, February.
    9. Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Gordon, Rachel A. & Crosnoe, Robert, 2019. "'O Youth and Beauty:' Children's Looks and Children's Cognitive Development," IZA Discussion Papers 12708, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. 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.
    11. Balakrishnan, Uttara & Tsaneva, Magda, 2021. "Air pollution and academic performance: Evidence from India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    12. Elisabetta Aurino & Whitney Schott & Jere R. Behrman & Mary Penny, 2019. "Nutritional Status from 1 to 15 Years and Adolescent Learning for Boys and Girls in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(6), pages 899-931, December.
    13. Zhong, Jingdong & Wang, Tianyi & He, Yang & Gao, Jingjing & Liu, Chengfang & Lai, Fang & Zhang, Liuxiu & Luo, Renfu, 2021. "Interrelationships of caregiver mental health, parenting practices, and child development in rural China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    14. Julieta Vera Rueda, 2021. "When fathers are gone: the consequences of paternal absence during the early years," Working Papers halshs-02978563, HAL.
    15. Samuel Berlinski & Norbert Schady, 2015. "Daycare Services: It’s All about Quality," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Samuel Berlinski & Norbert Schady (ed.), The Early Years, chapter 4, pages 91-119, Palgrave Macmillan.
    16. Alison Andrew & Orazio Attanasio & Britta Augsburg & Lina Cardona-Sosa & Monimalika Day & Michele Giannola & Sally Grantham-McGregor & Pamela Jervis & Costas Meghir & Marta Rubio-Codina, 2024. "Early Childhood Intervention for the Poor: Long Term Outcomes," NBER Working Papers 32165, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Deniz Karaoglan & Serap Sagir & Meltem Dayioglu & Durdane Sirin Saracoglu, 2023. "The Impact of Maternal Education on Early Childhood Development: The Case of Turkey," Working Papers 2023-02, Gebze Technical University, Department of Economics.
    18. Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Gordon, Rachel A. & Crosnoe, Robert, 2023. "“O Youth and Beauty:” Children's looks and children's cognitive development," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 275-289.
    19. Orazio Attanasio & Britta Augsburg & Jere Behrman & Sally Grantham-McGregor & Pamela Jervis & Costas Meghir & Angus Phimister & Marta Rubio Codina, 2019. "Cluster randomised trial of the effects of timing and duration of early childhood interventions in Odisha – India: Study protocol," IFS Working Papers W19/06, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    20. Morabito, Christian & Van de gaer, Dirk & Figueroa, José Luis & Vandenbroeck, Michel, 2018. "Effects of high versus low-quality preschool education: A longitudinal study in Mauritius," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 126-137.
    21. Orazio Attanasio & Flávio Cunha & Pamela Jervis, 2019. "Subjective Parental Beliefs. Their Measurement and Role," NBER Working Papers 26516, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    22. Orazio Attanasio & Costas Meghir & Emily Nix & Francesca Salvati, 2017. "Human Capital Growth and Poverty: Evidence from Ethiopia and Peru," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 25, pages 234-259, April.
    23. Sun, Jin & Lau, Carrie & Sincovich, Alanna & Rao, Nirmala, 2018. "Socioeconomic status and early child development in East Asia and the Pacific: The protective role of parental engagement in learning activities," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 321-330.

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