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Using Behavioral Insights in Early Childhood Interventions: the Effects of Crianza Positiva E-Messaging Program on Parental Investment

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  • Juanita Bloomfield
  • Ana Balsa
  • Alejandro Cid

Abstract

We study whether an e-messaging program rooted on behavioral economic insights helps improve parental investment and sustain commitment over time. Treated families received text and audio messages three times a week for 24 weeks. The messages were designed to help parents reorient their attention towards positive parenting goals, simplify complex parental tasks, and reinforce positive identities. Using an RCT design on 24 early childhood centers in Uruguay, we find that the intervention increased the frequency of parental involvement by 0.24 standard deviations and improved several measures of parenting quality by a similar magnitude. The effects were larger for families experiencing more negative shocks and lower negative identity at baseline, suggesting the program may have triggered the right channels.

Suggested Citation

  • Juanita Bloomfield & Ana Balsa & Alejandro Cid, 2019. "Using Behavioral Insights in Early Childhood Interventions: the Effects of Crianza Positiva E-Messaging Program on Parental Investment," Documentos de Trabajo/Working Papers 1903, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales y Economia. Universidad de Montevideo..
    • Handle: RePEc:mnt:wpaper:1903
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    Cited by:

    1. Ajzenman, Nicolas & Luna, Laura Becerra & Hernández-Agramonte, Juan Manuel & Lopez Boo, Florencia & Perez Alfaro, Marcelo & Vásquez-Echeverría, Alejandro & Mateo Diaz, Mercedes, 2022. "A behavioral intervention to increase preschool attendance in Uruguay," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Mateo-Berganza Díaz, María Mercedes & Becerra, Laura & Hernández Agramonte, Juan Manuel & Lopez Boo, Florencia & Pérez Alfaro, Marcelo & Vasquez Echeverria, Alejandro, 2020. "Nudging Parents to Increase Preschool Attendance in Uruguay," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 10893, Inter-American Development Bank.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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