Experimental Analysis of Neighborhood Effects on Youth

• Activity Number: 273
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 9, 2005 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Jeffrey Kling*+ and Jeffrey Liebman
• Companies: Princeton University and Harvard University
• Keywords: social experiment ; multiple testing ; causal inference ; familywise significance ; adjusted p-values ; housing vouchers

Abstract

We examine the effects of moving out of high-poverty neighborhoods on the outcomes of teenage youth, a population often seen as most at risk from the adverse effects of such neighborhoods. The randomized design of the "Moving to Opportunity" demonstration allows us to compare groups of youth, initially similar and living in high-poverty public housing. An "experimental" group was offered vouchers valid only in a low-poverty neighborhood; a Section 8 group was offered traditional vouchers without geographic restriction; and a control group was not offered vouchers. We study outcomes in four domains: education, risky behavior, mental health, and physical health. Females in the experimental group experienced improvements in education and mental health and were less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Females in the traditional voucher group experienced improvements in mental health. Males in both treatment groups were more likely to engage in risky behaviors and experience physical health problems. We adopt a multiple-testing framework to account for the large number of estimates considered.