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Early Childhood Stimulation Interventions in Developing Countries: A Comprehensive Literature Review

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  • Baker-Henningham, Helen

    (University of the West Indies, Mona)

  • López Bóo, Florencia

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

Abstract

This report reviews the effectiveness of early childhood stimulation interventions in developing countries. The report aims to answer the questions: What works in terms of early stimulation for young children in developing countries? For whom and under what conditions do these programs work and why do they work. The report is divided into several sections. Firstly, a brief discussion of the importance of early stimulation for young children in developing countries is provided. Secondly, the methods used to identify and characterize studies are provided and a review of randomized or quasi-experimental trials is presented. Thirdly, a review of the evidence for who benefits most from early interventions is presented followed by a review of program characteristics that affect the success of interventions and an examination of potential mechanisms through which interventions achieve their effects. Finally, recommendations for practice and future research are provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Baker-Henningham, Helen & López Bóo, Florencia, 2010. "Early Childhood Stimulation Interventions in Developing Countries: A Comprehensive Literature Review," IZA Discussion Papers 5282, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5282
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    Cited by:

    1. Juan F. Castro, 2015. "Effects of early childhood development interventions on parental behaviour: evidence from a home-visiting programme in Peru," Working Papers 15-07, Centro de Investigación, Universidad del Pacífico.
    2. Kasim Allel & Gerard Abou Jaoude & Stavros Poupakis & Neha Batura & Jolene Skordis & Hassan Haghparast-Bidgoli, 2021. "Exploring the Associations between Early Childhood Development Outcomes and Ecological Country-Level Factors across Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, March.
    3. Bastien Michel & Samuel Kembou & Sonali Wayal & Joanna Murray, 2023. "Leveraging Mobile Phone Expansion in LMICs to Improve Parental Practices," Working Papers hal-03909663, HAL.
    4. 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.
    5. Wong, Ho Lun & Luo, Renfu & Zhang, Linxiu & Rozelle, Scott, 2013. "The impact of vouchers on preschool attendance and elementary school readiness: A randomized controlled trial in rural China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 53-65.
    6. Victor Lavy & Giulia Lotti & Zizhong Yan, 2022. "Empowering Mothers and Enhancing Early Childhood Investment: Effect on Adults’ Outcomes and Children’s Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 57(3), pages 821-867.
    7. Magdalena Bendini & Lelys Dinarte, 2020. "Does Maternal Depression Undermine Childhood Cognitive Development? Evidence from the Young Lives Survey in Peru," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-18, October.
    8. McCoy, Dana Charles & Salhi, Carmel & Yoshikawa, Hirokazu & Black, Maureen & Britto, Pia & Fink, Günther, 2018. "Home- and center-based learning opportunities for preschoolers in low- and middle-income countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 44-56.
    9. Janeli Kotzé, 2015. "The readiness of the South African education system for a pre-Grade R year," Working Papers 15/2015, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    10. Yiwei Qian & Yi Ming Zheng & Sarah-Eve Dill & Scott Rozelle, 2020. "Correlates of participation in community-based interventions: Evidence from a parenting program in rural China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-19, September.
    11. van Schalkwyk, May CI & Bourek, Aleš & Kringos, Dionne Sofia & Siciliani, Luigi & Barry, Margaret M. & De Maeseneer, Jan & McKee, Martin, 2020. "The best person (or machine) for the job: Rethinking task shifting in healthcare," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(12), pages 1379-1386.
    12. Krishnan, Pramila & Krutikova, Sofya, 2013. "Non-cognitive skill formation in poor neighbourhoods of urban India," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 68-85.
    13. Jef L. Leroy & Paola Gadsden & Maite Guijarro, 2012. "The impact of daycare programmes on child health, nutrition and development in developing countries: a systematic review," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(3), pages 472-496, September.
    14. López Bóo, Florencia & de la Paz Ferro, Maria & Carneiro, Pedro, 2024. "Impacts of Integrating Early Childhood with Health Services: Experimental Evidence from the Cresça Com Seu Filho Home Visiting Program," IZA Discussion Papers 17130, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    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. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman, 2012. "The Economics of Child Well-Being," NBER Working Papers 18466, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Hlengiwe P Madlala & Landon Myer & Thokozile R Malaba & Marie-Louise Newell, 2020. "Neurodevelopment of HIV-exposed uninfected children in Cape Town, South Africa," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, November.
    18. Elisa Failache & Noemí Katzkowicz, 2019. "Desarrollo infantil en Uruguay: una aproximación a sus determinantes (Childhood development: An approach to its determinants)," Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad, Universidad de los Andes,Facultad de Economía, CEDE, vol. 83(2), pages 55-104, September.
    19. Rivas, Ricardo, 2019. "Inherited and social factors explaining early skills inequality: the case of Chilean children," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    20. El-Kogali,Safaa El Tayeb & Krafft,Caroline Gould & Abdelkhalek,Touhami & Benkassmi,Mohamed & Chavez,Monica I. & Bassett,Lucy Katherine & Ejjanoui,Fouzia & El-Kogali,Safaa El Tayeb & Krafft,Caroline Go, 2016. "Inequality of opportunity in early childhood development in Morocco over time," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7670, The World Bank.
    21. Sunil Rajpal & William Joe & Malavika A. Subramanyam & Rajan Sankar & Smriti Sharma & Alok Kumar & Rockli Kim & S. V. Subramanian, 2020. "Utilization of Integrated Child Development Services in India: Programmatic Insights from National Family Health Survey, 2016," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-16, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    developing countries; child development; early stimulation; mothers; parenting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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