Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/120953 
Year of Publication: 
2015
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 9303
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Early intervention is considered the optimal response to developmental disorders in children. We evaluate a nationwide developmental screening programme for preschoolers in Austria and the resulting interventions. Identification of treatment effects is determined by a birthday cutoff-based discontinuity in the eligibility for a financial incentive to participate in the screening. Assigned preschoolers are about 14 percentage points more likely to participate in the programme. For participants with high socio-economic status (SES), we find little evidence for interventions and consistently no effect on healthcare costs in the long run. For participants with low SES preschoolers, we find evidence for substantial interventions, but only weak evidence for cost savings in the long run.
Subjects: 
early intervention
child development
developmental disorder
developmental screening
healthcare costs
JEL: 
I12
J13
I18
H51
H75
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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