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

Last registered on December 18, 2017

View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title

Promoting Future Orientation Among Cash Transfer Recipients

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

December 18, 2017, 2:45 PM EST

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

Locations

Country

Kenya

Region

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

Richard Sedlmayr

PI Affiliation

University of Oxford

Contact Investigator

PI Name

Kate Orkin

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

2018-12-31

Keywords

Agriculture, Education, Labor, Welfare

Additional Keywords

Cash Transfers

JEL code(s)

Secondary IDs

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

Dercon, Stefan et al. 2017. "Promoting Future Orientation Among Cash Transfer Recipients." AEA RCT Registry. December 18. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.996-6.0

Former Citation

Dercon, Stefan et al. 2017. "Promoting Future Orientation Among Cash Transfer Recipients." AEA RCT Registry. December 18. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/996/history/24160

Sponsors & Partners

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 (Hidden)

Intervention Start Date

2016-11-01

Intervention End Date

2017-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

The various outcomes will be specified in different pre-analysis plans that will be lodged before the outcomes are analyzed. Two initial analysis plans are enclosed in the initial registration (November 2016) for outcomes collected in the vicinity of the intervetion.

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

See pre-analysis plans

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

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 for the purposes of a sub-trial.

Experimental Design Details

Randomization Method

Stratified randomization by computer.

Randomization Unit

Main study: Randomized at the village level. Sub-study: randomized at the level of individuals.

Was the treatment clustered?

Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters

Estimated: 370 -430 villages. Number is not final; recruitment is ongoing.

Sample size: planned number of observations

Estimated average: 18 participants per village. Number is not final; recruitment is ongoing.

Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms

Target distribution is 1/4 of villages in each arm; but randomization is phased and ongoing, and the overall number of villages may not be divisible by 4.

Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)

Supporting Documents and Materials

IRB