Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Costs of Daycare 0–2 for Girls

Arbeitspapier

Exploiting admission thresholds in a Regression Discontinuity Design, we study the causal effects of daycare at age 0–2 on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes at age 8–14. One additional month in daycare reduces IQ by 0.5% (4.5% of a standard deviation). Effects for conscientiousness are small and imprecisely estimated. Psychologists suggest that children in daycare experience fewer one-to-one interactions with adults, which should be particularly relevant for girls who are more capable than boys of exploiting cognitive stimuli at an early age. In line with this interpretation, losses for girls are larger and more significant, especially in affluent families.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 9756

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth ; Education and Research Institutions: General ; Education: Government Policy ; State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
• Subject: daycare ; childcare ; child development ; cognitive skills ; non-cognitive skills

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Fort, Margherita ; Ichino, Andrea ; Zanella, Giulio
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2016

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/141515
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET