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Field
Last Published
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Before
November 12, 2021 06:18 AM
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After
July 13, 2023 07:39 PM
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Field
Intervention (Public)
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Before
The intervention consists of an early stimulation program through the radio. Voice messages will be used to incentivize the take up of the intervention and reinforce parental-child interactions. Specifically, we will have three treatment arms:
(T1 ) radio theater skit alone + digital cash (or in-kind) transfers ($40 value only once),
(T2) T1 + recorded voice message to build awareness about the radio intervention and incentivize take-up
(T3) T2 + phone message about how mother/caregiver could interact with her child.
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After
The intervention consists of early stimulation program messages using an adaptation of the Reach Up curriculum. Specifically, we will have two treatment arms:
(T1 ) recorded voice messages on early childhood stimulation.
(T2) control group
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Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
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Before
1. Take up of radio messages
2. Self-reported parental behavior on parent -child interactions (Play activities sub scale of the Family Care Indicators
3. Maternal anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7))
4.Child development using two instruments: (1) Caregiver Reported Early Childhood Development Instrument-Short Form (CREDI-SF) to measure child overall development status, and (2) MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories Short Form (MA-CDI-SF) to measure language skills
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After
1. Self-reported parental behavior on parent -child interactions (Play activities sub scale of the Family Care Indicators
2. Maternal anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7))
3.Child development using two instruments: (1) Caregiver Reported Early Childhood Development Instrument-Short Form (CREDI-SF) to measure child overall development status and (2) MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories Short Form (MA-CDI-SF) to measure language skills
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Field
Experimental Design (Public)
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Before
The intervention consists of an early stimulation program through the radio. Voice messages will be used to incentivize the take up of the intervention and reinforce parental-child interactions. Specifically, we will have three treatment arms:
(T1)radio theater skit alone + digital cash transfers (CT) ($40 only once),
(T2) T1 + recorded voice message to build awareness about the radio intervention and incentivize take-up
(T3) T2 + phone message about how mother/caregiver could interact with her child.
Randomization of intervention arms (T1, T2, T3) will ensure balance between groups in terms of observable and unobservables characteristics. The evaluation will measure the value added of including awareness campaigns to the radio intervention and the value of combining awareness campaign with child development messages on top of radio. [T1 is our experimental control]
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After
The intervention consists of voice messages an early stimulation program (20 messages during 2 months)
(T1) recorded voice message on early childhood stimulation
(T2) control group
Randomization of intervention arms (T1, T2) will ensure balance between groups in terms of observable and unobserved characteristics.
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Randomization Unit
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Before
Unit of randomization is community, but we are collecting data at the individual level. Thus, individuals are clustered in a community.
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After
Unit of randomization is family
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Was the treatment clustered?
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Before
Yes
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After
No
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Planned Number of Clusters
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Before
35 clusters (communities)
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After
1,400 families
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Planned Number of Observations
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Before
29 observations per cluster
35 clusters x 29 families per cluster x 3 treatment arms=1,015 x 3= 3,045 families
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After
700 observations in treatment group
700 observations in control group
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Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
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Before
35 communities in treatment 1, 35 communities in treatent 2, 35 clusters in treatment 3
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After
1,4000 families
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Power calculation: Minimum Detectable Effect Size for Main Outcomes
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Before
The calculation of MDE were done with response rates instead of total sample. I expect 20% attrition and 90% take up. Thus, I expect to collect data for 20 families per cluster
MDE outcome Family care indicator - play activity scale=0.32 (mean=2.53, SD=1.27, power=.80)
MDE outcome General anxiety disorder =0.12 (mean=30%, power=.80).
MDE outcome MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory = 7.54 (mean=54.01, SD=29.88, power=.80)
MDE outcome Caregiver-Reported Early Development Instrument= 0.06 (mean=0.2 [normalized], SD=0.25, power=0.80)
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After
The calculation of MDE were done with response rates instead of total sample. I expect 20% attrition and 90% take up.
MDE outcome Family care indicator - play activity scale=0.32 (mean=2.53, SD=1.27, power=.80)
MDE outcome General anxiety disorder =0.12 (mean=30%, power=.80).
MDE outcome MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory = 7.54 (mean=54.01, SD=29.88, power=.80)
MDE outcome Caregiver-Reported Early Development Instrument= 0.06 (mean=0.2 [normalized], SD=0.25, power=0.80)
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Intervention (Hidden)
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Before
Parents have an interest in improving their child development, because of an altruistic motive and because children when older may contribute to household resources and later to their elderly parents’ consumption. Main constraints are lack of (1)adequate resources and (2)knowledge about the importance of quality parent-child interactions for child development. Our project responds to both constraints. The income support allows parents to relax the budget constraints and demand more goods and services for their children. The behavioral change component (radio and messages) aims to improve parental knowledge of how time allocation and physical resources’ choices might affect child development, through improved parental practices. Within our theory of change, these types of improvements in parental knowledge will result in improved child development. .
Inputs used will be: preparation of 30 radio skits, agreements with radio stations, and budget for in-kind transfers for families. We will then use these inputs to conduct a series of activities. First, the intervention will train parents on EC stimulation through radio skits; second, the intervention will deliver voice reminder phone messages about radio programs; third, the intervention will deliver voice phone message of activities to reinforce parenting practices; send cash transfer to parents. Our theory of change predicts that these activities will translate into the following outputs: mothers/caregivers will tune to the ratio and listen to the radio skits; mothers/caregivers will receive voice message to reinforce parenting practices; mother/caregivers will increase their knowledge on EC stimulation. If parents practice concepts conveyed in the radio and activities suggested through phone messages, it is expected the intervention positively affect three main outcomes: parent-child interaction, maternal anxiety, and child development.
Our theory of change relies on the effectiveness to deliver the cash and the effectiveness of radio and messages to train parents and promote improved behavior for child stimulation.
About the phone messages- It will send pre-recorded SMS message. We are going to use voice message instead of text message due to the high percentage of illiteracy in the targeted communities. Messages will use the relevant local language. The rationale to use this platform is the low levels of education of mothers and caregivers (the majority do not know how to read), as well as the low rate of use of internet in the targeted communities (13%-20%). Thus, WhatsApp or text messages would not work.
Messages will be personalized according to child’s age group. We are going to use the “ReachUp” curriculum, recently adapted to be used during the Covid-19 pandemic. We plan to send phone voice messages 2/3 times per week. For example, for children ages 0-5 months, examples of week #1 messages are:
Message 1 - Reminder of topic of the week (Monday):”Socio-emotional development is essential to a young’s child sense of well-being. Your soothing voice and touch helps your child feel safe, secured and loved.”
Message 2 - Reinforcement activity (Wednesday – play activity): “Soothe baby by holding him closely. Say his name quietly while you move slowly. Touch him gently and rub his back”
Message 3 - Growth activity (Friday – language activity): “Sing a song to baby by using a soft and soothing voice. Your baby will enjoy hearing your voice!”
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After
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