Age Sets and Accountability

Last registered on February 02, 2024

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Age Sets and Accountability
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0005370
Initial registration date
January 30, 2020

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
February 05, 2020, 3:15 PM EST

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

Last updated
February 02, 2024, 12:57 PM EST

Last updated is the most recent time when changes to the trial's registration were published.

Locations

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
Stanford University

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Affiliation
Harvard University
PI Affiliation
University of Chicago
PI Affiliation
University of Michigan

Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2016-08-01
End date
2023-12-31
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This document provides a pre-analysis plan for a health intervention in the Northern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our study is interested in better understanding how variation in age sets practices -- initiation rituals for young men -- affect the accountability of local leaders. Anthropologists hypothesized that age sets increase accountability of leaders by creating cohesive groups of young men. We test this with an intervention providing village chiefs with grants to purchase health products, which are provided at subsidized rates and delivered to the village. As part of the project, village oversight committees are formed to monitor the chief's management of the project and its resources. The primary experimental manipulation is varying the composition of the oversight committees; half are composed of a random selection of volunteers and the other half over-represent young men. We examine how the committee composition affects chief performance and how this effect differs depending on whether age sets are present.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Lowes, Sara et al. 2024. "Age Sets and Accountability." AEA RCT Registry. February 02. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.5370-1.6
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention Start Date
2019-08-01
Intervention End Date
2022-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Our key outcome variables are the amount of missing project funds (i.e. funds that were not properly allocated to the purchase of health products) and the distribution of health products to village households.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Chiefs in all villages receive funds (approximately $100) for the purchase of health products. Our partner will organize village oversight committees in each village to monitor the chief. Vendors will visit each village selling health products at a discounted price. The key experimental manipulation is that in some villages committees will be diverse, i.e. a random sample of those who volunteer. In other villages, the committee will comprise only young men. We examine how the committee composition affects chief performance and how this effect differs depending on whether age sets are present.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization is done by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Treatment is assigned at the village level.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
We will definitely implement in 100 villages. Budget allowing, we hope to have a final sample size of 300 villages.
Sample size: planned number of observations
Within each village, we intend to collect endline data from the chief, committee members, and a random sample of 14 to 16 villagers. For 100 villages this will be approximately 1400 observations.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Half of the sample will be randomized into a diverse committee; half of the sample will be randomized into a committee comprising only young men.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Harvard University
IRB Approval Date
2016-09-27
IRB Approval Number
IRB16-1065
Analysis Plan

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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