Monthly cash support and babies' early development
Household Income and Child Development in the First Years of Life
Giving low-income mothers monthly cash to find out whether extra money improves their children's thinking, self-control, and school readiness by ages 6 and 8.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177931 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and about 1,000 other low-income mothers were recruited in four U.S. cities and randomly received either $333 or $20 per month for the child's early years. Families have annual check-ins around the child's birthday and the project will bring children into labs at ages 6 and 8 for tests of cognitive skills, self-regulation, social-emotional behavior, and academic-related abilities. The researchers compare outcomes between the higher-cash and lower-cash groups to learn how continuous monthly cash might change family life and child development. Participation involves yearly follow-up contacts and two in-person lab visits when your child is 6 and 8.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are low-income mothers with newborn infants who live in one of the participating metropolitan areas and are willing to accept monthly cash gifts and join annual follow-ups and lab visits.
Not a fit: Families who are not low-income, live outside the study cities, have children already past early childhood, or cannot attend lab visits are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from joining this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could show that regular cash support improves early school readiness and longer-term health and economic prospects for children from low-income families.
How similar studies have performed: Observational research links higher family income to better child outcomes and some smaller or international cash-transfer programs have shown benefits, but large randomized evidence in the U.S. is limited and this trial is among the first.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duncan, Greg John — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Duncan, Greg John
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.