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Impacts of Child Development Accounts on maternal depressive symptoms: Evidence from a randomized statewide policy experiment

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  • Huang, Jin
  • Sherraden, Michael
  • Purnell, Jason Q.

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Child Development Accounts (CDAs)—asset-building accounts created for children at birth—on the depressive symptoms of mothers in a statewide randomized experiment conducted in the United States. The experiment identified the primary caregivers of children born in Oklahoma during 2007, and 2704 of the caregivers completed a baseline interview before random assignment to the treatment (n = 1358) or the control group (n = 1346). To treatment participants, the experiment offered CDAs built on the existing Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan. The baseline and follow-up surveys measured the participants' depressive symptoms with a shortened version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). In models that control for baseline CES-D scores, the mean follow-up score of treatment mothers is .17 lower than that of control mothers (p < .05). Findings suggest that CDAs have a greater impact among subsamples that reported lower income or lower education. Although designed as an economic intervention for children, CDAs may improve parents' psychological well-being. Findings also suggest that CDAs' impacts on maternal depressive symptoms may be partially mediated through children's social–emotional development.

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  • Huang, Jin & Sherraden, Michael & Purnell, Jason Q., 2014. "Impacts of Child Development Accounts on maternal depressive symptoms: Evidence from a randomized statewide policy experiment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 30-38.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:112:y:2014:i:c:p:30-38
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.04.023
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Huang, Jin & Guo, Baorong & Kim, Youngmi & Sherraden, Michael, 2010. "Parental income, assets, borrowing constraints and children's post-secondary education," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 585-594, April.
    2. Yunju Nam & Youngmi Kim & Margaret Clancy & Robert Zager & Michael Sherraden, 2013. "Do Child Development Accounts Promote Account Holding, Saving, and Asset Accumulation for Children's Future? Evidence from a Statewide Randomized Experiment," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 6-33, January.
    3. Kim, Youngmi & Sherraden, Michael, 2011. "Do parental assets matter for children's educational attainment?: Evidence from mediation tests," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 969-979, June.
    4. Meyer, Jeff & Masa, Rainier D. & Zimmerman, Jamie M., 2010. "Overview of Child Development Accounts in developing countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1561-1569, November.
    5. Jin Huang & Yunju Nam & Margaret S. Sherraden, 2013. "Financial Knowledge and Child Development Account Policy: A Test of Financial Capability," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 1-26, April.
    6. Williams Shanks, Trina R. & Kim, Youngmi & Loke, Vernon & Destin, Mesmin, 2010. "Assets and child well-being in developed countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1488-1496, November.
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    2. Fang, Shu & Huang, Jin & Curley, Jami & Birkenmaier, Julie, 2018. "Family assets, parental expectations, and children educational performance: An empirical examination from China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 60-68.
    3. Mary Kopriva, 2023. "Universal Cash Transfer Impacts on Maternal and Infant Health," Working Papers 2023-02, University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Economics.
    4. Blumenthal, Anne & Shanks, Trina R., 2019. "Communication matters: A long-term follow-up study of child savings account program participation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 136-146.
    5. Yunju Nam & Elizabeth Hole & Michael Sherraden & Margaret M. Clancy, 2018. "Program Knowledge and Racial Disparities in Savings Outcomes in a Child Development Account Experiment," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 145-162, March.
    6. Rauscher, Emily & Elliott, William & O'Brien, Megan & Callahan, Jason & Steensma, Joe, 2017. "Examining the relationship between parental educational expectations and a community-based children's savings account program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 96-107.
    7. Haotian Zheng & Elizabeth Harris & William Elliott & Megan O’Brien, 2023. "The Role of Children’s Savings Accounts in Promoting Savings for College Among Welfare Recipients: The Case of Harold Alfond College Challenge (HACC)," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 285-296, June.
    8. Ray Boshara & William R. Emmons, 2015. "A Balance Sheet Perspective on Financial Success: Why Starting Early Matters," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(1), pages 267-298, March.

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