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Field
Paper Abstract
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Before
Despite growing evidence on the determinants of psychosocial wellbeing, we know comparatively little about the impacts of different types of interventions on psychosocial versus economic outcomes. We conduct a randomized control trial in Rwanda that benchmarks two programs against an unconditional cash transfer, implemented in conjunction with existing anti-poverty interventions. The first is psychologically-targeted and focuses on promoting personal agency: self-confidence, sense of value, and social status. The second program targets specific skills: goal setting, public speaking, and networking. The psychologically-targeted intervention leads to significant improvements across a range of psychosocial outcomes, but no economic gains relative to the cash transfer. By contrast, the skills-based program improves economic outcomes but not psychosocial wellbeing. Our results suggest that well-designed, low-cost programs can outperform cost-equivalent cash transfers in terms of impacts on psychosocial and economic outcomes.
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After
In the context of antipoverty programs, what are the benefits of marginal investments in interventions targeting soft skills or psychological well-being compared with direct economic assistance? We make progress on this question by benchmarking two programs against an unconditional cash transfer. One targets participants’ self-confidence and sense of agency using personal reflection and storytelling exercises. The other teaches soft skills: goal setting, public speaking, and networking. Relative to cash, the psychologically targeted intervention significantly improves psychosocial outcomes but not economic outcomes, while the soft skills program improves economic outcomes with few effects on psychosocial outcomes. However, when comparing the two interventions with one another, effects are statistically indistinguishable along most outcomes. Our results highlight the potential for targeted marginal investments in similarly designed interventions to improve specific outcomes.
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Paper Citation
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Before
Megan Lang, Edward Soule, and Catherine Tinsley. "Psychology, Skills, or Cash?" 2021.
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After
Psychology, Skills, or Cash? Evidence on Marginal Investments. With Edward Soule and Catherine Tinsley. Economic Development and Cultural Change, 2024, 73 (1): 423-450.
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