Past research has demonstrated that positive increments to the non-cognitive development of children can have long-run benefits.

We test the symmetry of this contention by studying the effects of a sizeable negative shock to non-cognitive skills due to the introduction of universal child care in Quebec.

We first confirm earlier findings showing reduced contemporaneous non-cognitive development following the program introduction in Quebec, with little impact on cognitive test scores. We then show these non-cognitive deficits persisted to school ages, and also that cohorts with increased child care access subsequently had worse health, lower life satisfaction, and higher crime rates later in life. The impacts on criminal activity are concentrated in boys.

Our results reinforce previous evidence on the central role of non-cognitive skills for long-run success.

See Also:

“Third Grade Follow-up to the Head Start Impact Study Final Report [OPRE Report 2012-45]”
“Living alongside more affluent neighbors predicts greater involvement in antisocial behavior among low-income boys”
“Boosting School Readiness: Should Preschool Teachers Target Skills or the Whole Child?”
“Elusive Longer-Run Impacts of Head Start: Replications Within and Across Cohorts”
“Early Childhood Intervention and Life-Cycle Skill Development: Evidence from Head Start”
“Childhood forecasting of a small segment of the population with large economic burden”
“Effects of a statewide pre-kindergarten program on children’s achievement and behavior through sixth grade”
“Non-Cognitive Skills: How Much Do They Matter for Earnings in Canada?”