Evaluation of Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP)

Last registered on June 06, 2017
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Evaluation of Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP)
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0002118
Initial registration date
March 22, 2017
Last updated
June 06, 2017, 5:47 PM EDT

Locations

Country
United States of America
Region
Chicago, Illinois

Primary Investigator

Name
Marianne Bertrand
Affiliation
Booth School of Business University of Chicago
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2016-10-31
End date
2020-11-30
Keywords
Labor
Additional Keywords
job-readiness training, JRT, job search, workforce development, group social work, psychological capital, program evaluation, TANF, unemployed, employment barriers
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Abstract
Supporting labor market participation is crucial to improving economic outcomes for the millions of Americans trapped in poverty, yet existing job-readiness training programs focused on developing job-search skills have failed to substantially improve labor market outcomes for the chronically unemployed. We evaluate the impact of a new workforce development program, Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP), a promising alternative modeled on group social work practice. TIP empowers workforce development clients with the necessary psychological capital – self-awareness, confidence, hope, goal-orientation, leadership, accountability, conscientiousness, grit – for overcoming stubborn employment barriers and achieving long-term success. Through a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) implemented across three workforce development agencies serving unemployed Chicagoans facing multiple employment barriers, we measure the impact on employment outcomes of the new TIP program as compared to existing skills-based job-readiness training programs currently offered at the agencies.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Bertrand, Marianne. 2017. "Evaluation of Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP)." AEA RCT Registry. June 06. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.2118-2.0
Former Citation
Bertrand, Marianne and Marianne Bertrand. 2017. "Evaluation of Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP)." AEA RCT Registry. June 06. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/2118/history/18354
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2016-10-31
Intervention End Date
2017-11-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Employment obtainment, employment retention, cumulative labor market earnings
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The new TIP program under evaluation will be implemented by three workforce development agencies alongside their respective existing skills-based JRT program. The TIP program is three weeks long and the existing JRT programs are one week long. At all three agencies, a JRT program will run concurrently to the first week of the TIP program. At two of the agencies, one-week JRT programs will also run concurrent to the second and third weeks of the TIP program, when there are a sufficient number of clients. Prior to the start of a new TIP program, new agency clients we will randomly assigned to either the TIP program (treatment, N=10) or existing JRT program (control, N=10). New clients who complete intake between randomizations will all be assigned to the JRT programs (each control N=10) running concurrent to the second and third weeks of the TIP program.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
We use two randomization methods to accommodate procedural idiosyncrasies across our implementation partners.

Method 1: Using RAND() function in Excel; agencies provide the research team with a list of client names to randomize, and we return the randomized list. This method is used by two of the three agencies.

Method 2: Using question randomization function in Qualtrics (survey software); agency enters client names into web-based Qualtrics survey, and Qualtrics returns a randomized list. This method is used by one of the three agencies.
Randomization Unit
Individual
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
900 individuals
Sample size: planned number of observations
900 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
340 individuals in treatment group, 560 individuals in control group
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Social and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board at the University of Chicago
IRB Approval Date
2016-03-30
IRB Approval Number
IRB16-0008
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials