Preventing Behavior Problems in Childhood and Adolescence: Evidence from Head Start

Abstract

This paper shows that participation in Head Start decreases behavioral problems, grade repetition, and obesity of children at ages 12 and 13, and depression, criminal behavior, and obesity at ages 16 and 17. Head Start’s eligibility rules induce discontinuities in program participation as a function of income, which we use to identify program impacts. Since there is a range of discontinuities (they vary with family