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We examine the channels through which a randomized early childhood intervention in Colombia led to significant gains in cognitive and socio-emotional skills among a sample of disavantaged children aged 12 to 24 months at baseline. We estimate the determinants of parents’ material and time investments in these children and evaluate the impact of the treatment on such investments. We then estimate the production functions for cognitive and socio-emotional skills. The effects of the program can be explained by increases in parental investments, emphasizing the importance of parenting interventions at an early age.
Authors
Orazio Attanasio

Research Fellow University College London
Emla Fitzsimons is a Professor of Economics at the University College London Institute of Education and a Research Fellow at the IFS.

Research Fellow Yale University
Costas is a Research Fellow of the IFS and a Professor of Economics at Yale University and a Visiting Professor at University College London.

Research Associate
Marta is a Research Associate, working at the Centre for Evaluation of Development Policies at IFS and at the Inter-American Development.

Working Paper details
- DOI
- 10.1920/wp.ifs.2020.320
- Publisher
- The IFS
Suggested citation
Attanasio, O et al. (2020). Estimating the production function for human capital: results from a randomized controlled trial in Colombia. London: The IFS. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/estimating-production-function-human-capital-results-randomized-controlled-trial-2 (accessed: 10 February 2025).
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