Blog

News

Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, and read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters. For media inquiries, please email us.

Improving Employability, Earning Potential, and Sexual Behaviors through Vocational Training for Youth in Malawi

Yoonyoung Cho
Davie Kalomba
Victor Orozco
In Malawi, researchers evaluated the impact of a vocational training program on youth's skills, economic outcomes, and well-being. While the training generally improved skills and well-being, it had more positive effects for men compared to women, and had no impact on labor market outcomes in the...

Empowering Parents to Improve Education Quality in Rural Mexico

Harry Anthony Patrinos
Eduardo Rodríguez-Oreggia
Researchers in Mexico evaluated the impact of providing parent associations with larger grants and more information on educational outcomes. Providing information to parent associations reduced students’ disciplinary actions in schools without improving students’ test scores.

Positive Psychology for Psychological Well-Being and Decision-Making in Kenya

In Kenya, researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to test the impact of a light-touch positive psychology intervention on psychological well-being and economic decision-making for low-income populations. The intervention had a positive impact on gratitude; however, it had no significant...

Using Behavioral Economics to Help Individuals Reduce Debt in the United States

Researchers designed and piloted a program called Borrow Less Tomorrow (BoLT) that took a behavioral approach to debt reduction, combining an accelerated loan repayment schedule with peer support and reminders. Results from a sample of free tax-preparation clients in Tulsa, United States suggest a...

Transport Subsidies and Job Matchmaking in South Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, youth unemployment is expected to reach 50 percent by 2025. One reason for high unemployment among this group is that youth may live geographically far from where many jobs are located, making traveling to search for employment difficult and expensive. Researchers conducted a...

The Impact of Health Education on Behavior and Nutrition in China

Renfu Luo
Alexis Medina
Scott Rozelle
Yaojiang Shi
Linxiu Zhang
Huiping Zhang
Health education campaigns are often seen as a way to promote healthy behaviors and encourage the adoption of inexpensive life-saving and life-improving technologies. Researchers evaluated three health education campaigns for parents that aimed to reduce iron-deficiency anemia among primary school...

India’s Happiness Curriculum to Improve Youth Mental Health, Learning, and Development

Avinash Moorthy
Researchers are examining the impact of a socioemotional learning curriculum on student mental health, academic achievement, and other social outcomes.