Direct and Interaction Effects of Cash Transfers and Psychological Interventions Promoting Future Orientation on Economic Outcomes

Last registered on September 27, 2022
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Direct and Interaction Effects of Cash Transfers and Psychological Interventions Promoting Future Orientation on Economic Outcomes
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0000996
Initial registration date
November 16, 2016

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
November 16, 2016, 9:59 AM EST

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

Last updated
September 27, 2022, 11:50 AM EDT

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

Locations

Country
Kenya
Region
Homa Bay and Siaya

Primary Investigator

Name
Kate Orkin
Affiliation
University of Oxford
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Johannes Haushofer
PI Affiliation
Princeton University
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Mahreen Mahmud
PI Affiliation
University of Oxford
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Richard Sedlmayr
PI Affiliation
University of Oxford
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Stefan Dercon
PI Affiliation
University of Oxford
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Rob Garlick
PI Affiliation
Duke University
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2016-01-11
End date
2022-12-31
Keywords
Agriculture, Education, Labor, Welfare
Additional Keywords
Cash transfers, future orientation, goal-setting, behavioural interventions
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
The study seeks to analyse the impact cash transfers and of social psychological interventions (individually and in combination) on psychological and economic outcomes. Several sub-studies are associated with it.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Orkin, Kate et al. 2022. "Direct and Interaction Effects of Cash Transfers and Psychological Interventions Promoting Future Orientation on Economic Outcomes." AEA RCT Registry. September 27. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.996-12.300000000000000
Former Citation
Orkin, Kate et al. 2022. "Direct and Interaction Effects of Cash Transfers and Psychological Interventions Promoting Future Orientation on Economic Outcomes." AEA RCT Registry. September 27. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/996/history/156918
Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors

Partner

Name
Innovations for Poverty Action
Type
ngo
URL
https://www.poverty-action.org/
Name
GiveDirectly
Type
ngo
URL
https://www.givedirectly.org/
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Three types of interventions are used in the trial:
- The psychologically active intervention consists of two back-to-back ten-minute aspirational videos, a facilitated goal-setting exercise, and the distribution of a reminder.
- The psychologically inactive intervention consists of two back-to-back ten-minute placebo videos, a facilitated placebo exercise, and the distribution of a reminder.
- The cash transfer intervention consists of the standard three-stage cash transfer program implemented by GiveDirectly.

In the course of the registration process for the cash transfers, eligible individuals are provided with a mobile money account as well as a mobile phone if they do not yet have these. This is followed by three mobile money transfers, made in intervals of approximately two months: a small transfer (`Token') of approximately USD100 (nominal 2016 dollars); a large transfer (`Lump Sum A') of approximately USD450; and a second large transfer (`Lump Sum B') of USD450 minus the price of the mobile phone.
Intervention Start Date
2016-11-01
Intervention End Date
2017-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Assets, investment into economic activity, human capital investment, labour supply, revenue, consumption. We also examine the mechanisms through which the psychological intervention may work: self-efficacy, growth mindset, aspirations, expectations, preferences, depression and cognitive bandwidth.

Two initial analysis plans are enclosed in the initial registration (November 2016) for outcomes collected in the vicinity of the intervention, examining self-efficacy, growth mindset, aspirations and expectations, as well as cognitive outcomes.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
See pre-analysis plans

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
See pre-analysis plans
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
See pre-analysis plans

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
The project follows a 2x2 factorial design, and villages randomly allocated into one of four treatment arms:
(1) Psychologically active intervention
(2) Placebo intervention
(3) Cash transfer intervention plus psychologically active intervention
(4) Cash transfer intervention plus placebo intervention
Within arm (3), the timing of the psychologically active intervention is randomized at the level of individuals.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Stratified randomization by computer.
Randomization Unit
Randomized at the village level.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
415 villages
Sample size: planned number of observations
Roughly 8,000 (tracking of participants is ongoing).
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
1/4 of villages in each arm.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials

Documents

Document Name
Intervention video
Document Type
other
Document Description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgRp0Cc6sV4
File
Intervention video
Document Name
Intervention script and questionnaire
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
The document contains the script that was used during the psychological and placebo intervention and the questionnaire administered before and after the intervention.
File
Intervention script and questionnaire

MD5: 920e4d02a38d08a68ab6f691ad6d9549

SHA1: 855f63ef260ab77952c23a5905e72088479f6080

Uploaded At: December 21, 2018

Document Name
Placebo video
Document Type
other
Document Description
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrET-FT29nY&t=978s
File
Placebo video
Document Name
Endline questionnaire - Homa Bay
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
This is the endline questionnaire being administered with respondents living (at baseline) in Homa Bay county.
File
Endline questionnaire - Homa Bay
Document Name
Endline questionnaire - Siaya
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
This is the endline questionnaire being administered with respondents living (at baseline) in Siaya county.
File
Endline questionnaire - Siaya

MD5: 37b45986261b50fa55f57d0e52899b56

SHA1: c73ad2c96b535d280401907aa6d91397d038c26a

Uploaded At: January 18, 2019

Document Name
Stickers
Document Type
other
Document Description
These stickers were used as part of the post video screening exercise.
File
Stickers

MD5: 86535a666a5851c74fc52389f6c5caf7

SHA1: 5de4d8b45257567bf5cfec109ff223f81b550592

Uploaded At: December 21, 2018

Document Name
Calendar (psych and placebo)
Document Type
other
Document Description
These calendars were used as part of the post video screening exercise and were given to the respondents to keep.
File
Calendar (psych and placebo)

MD5: ae28ca4532d20588f7ce408b42799cd4

SHA1: 9fbee25baad940b72e34c67c6d2851390f20f1a4

Uploaded At: December 21, 2018

Document Name
Baseline questionnaire
Document Type
survey_instrument
Document Description
This is the baseline questionnaire.
File
Baseline questionnaire

MD5: 4fd4f4ef59626e0932053a8a1d94395a

SHA1: 631253247b02782d66d681096669af30ca5a82c8

Uploaded At: January 08, 2019

IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Social Science & Humanities Inter-Divisional Research Ethics Committee
IRB Approval Date
2016-04-13
IRB Approval Number
SSD/CUREC1A/BSG C1A_16-002
Analysis Plan

Analysis Plan Documents

2018-11-04_TimingStudy_ManipChecks.pdf

MD5: 44e55248c7d87a9eaa648c4483dfd8af

SHA1: 29834c1c50873c500914fc6f476b4eb5a4176a3d

Uploaded At: November 04, 2018

Contact and Migration PAP

MD5: a20b582ff6df3956e84f3e7801b0fbc2

SHA1: 861ea540a5745384d273453eb803f7013f01a2bb

Uploaded At: May 08, 2018

2018-03-13_timing_subtrial.pdf

MD5: bd9b5b8a186d96e305bf942196020b54

SHA1: d0fa0ef02da2435f7f2b1edc6dce901ffbb24c76

Uploaded At: March 13, 2018

Manipulation Checks PAP

MD5: 5908f5f4efdaf6b3c63819034f908434

SHA1: 859d50aaaceafa24492c6030c93647793c88a34f

Uploaded At: July 08, 2017

Orkin Garlick Mahmud Sedlmayr Haushofer Dercon cash and psych cross-cut endline PAP

MD5: 745c80b57cd7f864ac64aff68a0182f5

SHA1: 593824dd65354f4c110cf13b927fe338eed3ae88

Uploaded At: February 23, 2019