Author(s)
Orazio Attanasio
Gabriella Conti
Pamela Jervis
Costas Meghir
Aysu Okbay

We evaluate impacts heterogeneity of an Early Childhood Intervention, with respect to the Educational Attainment Polygenic Score (EA4 PGS) constructed from DNA data based on GWAS weights from a European population. We find that the EA4 PGS is predictive of several measures of child development, mother’s IQ and, to some extent, educational attainment. We also show that the impacts of the intervention are significantly greater in children with low PGS, to the point that the intervention eliminates the initial genetic disadvantage. Lastly, we find that children with high PGS attract more parental stimulation; however, the latter increases more strongly in children with low PGS.

Publication Type
Working Paper
File Description
First version, May 5, 2025
JEL Codes
C21: Single Equation Models; Single Variables: Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions
J13: Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
I24: Education and Inequality
Keywords
gene-environment interactions
early childhood development
stimulation programs