Back to History Current Version

Reducing Parent-Child Information Frictions

Last registered on February 21, 2014

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Reducing Parent-Child Information Frictions
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0000286
First published
February 21, 2014, 12:56 PM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
Columbia University Teachers College

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2010-11-10
End date
2011-07-25
Secondary IDs
Abstract
This paper uses a field experiment to answer how information frictions between parents and their children affect the inputs to human capital formation and how much reducing these frictions can improve student achievement. In Los Angeles, a random sample of parents was provided detailed information about their child's academic progress. As in a standard principal-agent model, more information allowed parents to induce more effort from their children, which translated into gains in achievement. However, additional information also changed parents' beliefs and spurred demand for information from the school. Teachers were asked to predict students that would benefit most from this intervention, but there were no differential effects for students teachers selected. Relative to other interventions, additional information to parents potentially produces gains in achievement at a low cost.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
BERGMAN, PETER. 2014. "Reducing Parent-Child Information Frictions ." AEA RCT Registry. February 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.286-1.0
Former Citation
BERGMAN, PETER. 2014. "Reducing Parent-Child Information Frictions ." AEA RCT Registry. February 21. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/286/history/1096
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
To measure the causal effect of reducing parent-child information frictions on human capital investments and achievement students' parents or guardians were randomly selected to receive additional information about their child's academic progress. This information consisted of emails, text messages and phone calls listing students' missing assignments and grades several times a month over the school year.
Intervention Start Date
2010-12-10
Intervention End Date
2011-06-25

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Student work habits, GPA, test scores and parent behaviors.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Out of all 462 students in grades six through eleven at a single school, 242 students' parents or guardians were randomly selected to receive additional information about their child's academic progress.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Done in office by a computer
Randomization Unit
Student level
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
0
Sample size: planned number of observations
462
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
242 treatment 220 control.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
UCLA Human Subjects Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2010-08-30
IRB Approval Number
10-001046

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
Yes
Intervention Completion Date
June 25, 2011, 12:00 +00:00
Data Collection Complete
Yes
Data Collection Completion Date
July 25, 2011, 12:00 +00:00
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization)
0
Was attrition correlated with treatment status?
No
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations
279
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials