"The Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty"
Distinguished Professor
Distinguished Professor of Education Greg Duncan presented at the Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences, held December 8-10 at the Harold and Mabel Beckman Center in Irvine, California. The colloquia theme was "Biological Embedding of Early Social Adversity: From Fruit Flies to Kindergartners." Professor Duncan's presentation was entitled "The Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty."
Professor Duncan, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, researches the economics of education, program evaluation, and child development.
Abstract
Most poor children achieve less, exhibit more problem behaviors and are less healthy than children reared in more affluent families. We look beyond correlations such as these to a recent set of studies that attempt to assess the causal impact of childhood poverty on later attainment and health. We pay particular attention to the potentially harmful effects of poverty early in childhood, and to links between early poverty and such adult outcomes as earnings, work hours, obesity and other productivity-impairing health conditions. Evidence suggests that early poverty has substantial detrimental effects on adult earnings, work hours, and certain health conditions.
