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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," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 103(484), pages 1481-1495.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    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.
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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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