KIDS-WIN (Kids' Working Memory and Self-Regulation Intervention Study):The Effect of Working Memory and Self-Regulation Training on School and Developmental Outcomes of Elementary School Children: A Field Experiment in Germany and Switzerland

• Applicant: Dr. Eva Berger
• Subject Area: Economic Policy, Applied Economics ; Developmental and Educational Psychology
• Term: from 2013 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 248659770

Traditionally, cognitive skills (IQ basically) have been considered the decisive skills for many outcomes like educational success and labor market outcomes. The more recent research has shown that so-called noncognitive skills (or motivational skills) like motivation, perseverance, and self-control play a crucial role for these outcomes. One particularly important noncognitive skill is the ability to delay gratification, a skill which depends on self-control. Previous research has shown that this skill (measured already in early childhood) is closely correlated with outcomes like health, wealth, and the (lower) probability to be involved in criminal activity in adult life. Hence, the question whether self-control can be improved by specific trainings in school is of crucial importance for the society. From such insights we could learn how to attenuate problems that lead to fundamental socio-economic inequality in our society.The planned research project is a randomized field experiment with the aim to investigate to what extent first graders' ability to self-control can be trained. We conduct two so-called interventions (i.e. trainings) with 1100 elementary school students in Germany (Mainz) and Switzerland (Winterthur): a working memory training and a training of a self-regulation strategy. Details for both trainings are discussed in the document 'Beschreibung des Vorhabens'. In order to identify short and long-term effects of the trainings we survey data immediately before and after the intervention as well as six and twelve months later. The surveys include student tests of (among others) working memory, delay discounting, school performance, and IQ as well as teacher and parents questionnaires about (among others) behavioral outcomes and familial background of the students.Both interventions are very promising from an economic perspective because previous evidence has shown that investments in young children - and especially in their noncognitive skills - produce high personal and social returns. The working memory and the self-regulation training are both low cost interventions and therefore we expect them to be cost efficient even if the effect is small on average. If the training effect is strongest with disadvantaged children - as previous educational intervention studies suggested - , our intervention will promote equal opportunities in the educational system. This would be specifically interesting from a perspective of educational and social policy since educational success in Germany strongly depends on social background.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Participating Institution: University of Chicago ; Department of Economics
• Host: Alison Baulos