Economic evaluation of an early childhood intervention and a student mentoring program

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Naturalisation and on-the-job training: evidence from first-generation immigrants in Germany

This paper empirically analyses the effect of naturalisation on on-the-job training (OJT) participation among first-generation immigrants in Germany. OJT is associated with improved labour market outcomes and provides therefore an indicator for labour market integration. Naturalisation is assumed to act as a signal of the employee’s commitment to the host country and may thus increase employers’ likelihood of offering OJT. Testing the theoretical link with multivariate estimations (based on the German Socio-Economic Panel) shows a positive and significant correlation. To reduce selection bias on observables, propensity score matching is applied, yielding a significant average treatment effect

The effects of sun intensity during pregnancy and in the first 12 months of life on childhood obesity

Obesity not only leads to immense medical costs associated with treating obesity-related illness but is also associated with lower employment prospects and earnings. This study shows that sunshine-induced vitamin D may have a preventive effect on obesity for children. It investigates the relation between sun intensity from pregnancy until infancy on obesity at age six, using population data of more than 600,000 children. Our findings show that the effects of sun intensity on subsequent obesity are concentrated in the first six months of life: 100 hours of additional sunshine over this period reduce overweight by 1.1 percent and severe obesity by 6.2 percent. We offer two main explanations for this pattern. First, infants’ vitamin D levels are particularly sensitive to sunshine in the first six months of life, when lactation is highest. Second, the first six months of life are a sensitive period for later obesity, as this is the period when infants rapidly gain weight and adipose tissue develops

Evaluating the effects of a targeted home visiting program on maternal and child health outcomes

We evaluate the effects of home visiting targeted towards disadvantaged first-time mothers on maternal and child health outcomes. Our analysis exploits a randomized controlled trial and combines rich longitudinal survey data with unique administrative health data. In a context in which the target group has comprehensive health care access, we find no effects of home visiting on most types of health utilization, health behaviors, and physical health measures. However, the intervention has a positive effect on some maternal mental health outcomes, reducing depression reported in the survey data by eleven percentage points and prescription of psycholeptics recorded in the administrative data by seven percentage points

OHM Happiness Report (OHR)

Die langfristige Lebenszufriedenheit (Happiness/Glücksempfinden) ehemaliger Studierender scheint maßgeblich mit ihrem subjektiven Glücksempfinden während der Zeit an der Hochschu-le zusammen zu hängen (Harker und Keltner, 2001). Vor diesem Hintergrund untersucht der vorliegende Beitrag basierend auf Survey-Daten aus dem Jahr 2022 die Lebens- und Studienzu-friedenheit der Studierenden an der TH Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm. Unsere Analysen ergeben einen durchschnittlichen OHM Happiness Score von 6,93 Skalenpunkten. Dieser Wert liegt et-was über dem Durchschnitt der deutschen Bevölkerung (6,86), knapp unterhalb des arithmeti-schen Mittels in Bayern (7,06) und entspricht genau dem Glücksempfinden der Region Franken (6,94), in deren Zentrum Nürnberg die OHM zu Hause ist. International positioniert sich die OHM im Bereich der Bevölkerung von Ländern wie den USA (6,98), der Schweiz (6,94) oder der Tschechischen Republik (6,92). Wir zeigen, dass die Lebenszufriedenheit unter den Studieren-den – analog zur Gesamtbevölkerung – während der Covid-19-Pandemie zurück gegangen ist. Das Covid-Happiness-Tal scheint mit der endgültigen Rückkehr in die Hörsäle im Jahr 2022 aber überwunden zu sein. Ferner zeigen wir, dass Studienzufriedenheit und Lebenszufriedenheit an der OHM positiv korrelieren und untersuchen, wie verschiedene Merkmale und Leistungen der Studierenden mit ihrer Happiness und Studienzufriedenheit zusammenhängen: eine höhere Selbstwirksamkeit geht mit einer deutlich höheren Lebens- und Studienzufriedenheit einher, dagegen sind schlechte Schul- und Studienleistungen, die Erwartung einer langen Studiendauer, Stress und Prokrastination mit einer geringeren Lebens- und Studienzufriedenheit verbunden. Schließlich steht ein höheres erwartetes Einstiegsgehalt in einem positiven Zusammenhang mit dem subjektiv empfundenen Glück, allerdings nur bis zu einem Jahresbruttogehalt von 60.000 Euro. Studierende, die einen höheren Verdienst erwarten, geben ein niedrigeres Glücksniveau an

What contributes to the long-term implementation of an evidence-based early childhood intervention: a qualitative study from Germany

BackgroundRigorous research trials have demonstrated that early childhood interventions can reach socially disadvantaged families and can have a lasting impact on the healthy development of their children. However, little is known about the internal and contextual factors that contribute to the long-term implementation of such interventions. In this study, we investigated the development of the home visiting program Pro Kind. The program was adapted from the evidence-based US-American Nurse-Family Partnership program and was implemented in Germany in 2006. Using an exploratory approach, we examined factors contributing to the long-term implementation of this program.MethodsQualitative interviews with program implementers (midwives, social workers, program managers) of the Pro Kind program and key stakeholders in two cities in Germany were conducted. Interview guides were developed to assess participants' perceptions and experiences on how the program had developed over time internally and in the interaction with its environment. Data were collected between March and September 2021. Drawing on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), data was coded according to the principles of thematic analysis.ResultsA total of 25 individuals (11 program implementers, 14 key stakeholders) were interviewed. The identified factors related to three out of five domains of the CFIR model in our analysis. First, regarding the intervention characteristics, the evidence of effectiveness and the relative advantage of the implementation of the program compared to similar interventions were viewed as contributors to long-term implementation. However, the program's adaptability was discussed as a constraining factor for reaching the target group. Second, concerning the inner setting, stakeholders and program implementers perceived the implementation climate, the leadership engagement and the program's size as relevant factors for networking strategies and program visibility. Third, as part of the outer setting, the degree of networking with external stakeholders was highlighted of great importance for the program.ConclusionsWe identified several factors of particular importance for the long-term implementation and sustainability of an early childhood intervention at the practice level, particularly in the local context in Germany. These findings should inform the design of impactful, scalable, and sustainable early childhood interventions targeting disadvantaged families

Mobility in a Globalised World 2012

The term mobility has different meanings in the following science disciplines. In economics, mobility is the ability of an individual or a group to improve their economic status in relation to income and wealth within their lifetime or between generations. In information systems and computer science, mobility is used for the concept of mobile computing, in which a computer is transported by a person during normal use. By designing logistics networks, logistics creates the infrastructure for the mobility of people and goods. Electric mobility is one of today’s solutions from an engineering perspective to the problem of reducing the need for energy resources and environmental impact. Finally, for urban planning, mobility is the crunch question as to how to optimise the different needs for mobility and how to link different transportation systems. In this publication we have collected the ideas of practitioners, researchers, and government officials about the different modes of mobility in a globalised world, focusing on both domestic and international issues

Zur Effizienz früher Hilfen: Forschungsdesign und erste Ergebnisse eines randomisierten kontrollierten Experiments

For efficiency reasons, the policy-mix of publicly financed educational measures should be adapted to novel insights into their private and social returns. Early childhood interventions are targeted to children in socially disadvantaged environments, beginning as soon as possible, ideally before birth. The developing theory of skill formation predicts high social returns for this kind of human capital policy. To provide evidence for this, a randomized controlled experiment is conducted. Object of investigation is the Pro Kind project which is targeted to first time mothers in economically and socially disadvantaged environments. Early results show that the project reaches its target group and that the poor environments lead to retarded development, measured by head circumference. First, preliminary results include an effect of treatment on boy's birth weight and body length at birth. Further research in later stages of development is needed to explore the efficiency of early childhood interventions in Germany. Aus ökonomischer Sicht sollte der Mix staatlich finanzierter Bildungsmaßnahmen neuen Erkenntnissen über deren private und soziale Grenzerträge angepasst werden. Frühe Hilfen sind Unterstützungsangebote für Kinder in sozial benachteiligten Umgebungen, die möglichst früh ansetzen, idealerweise schon in der Schwangerschaft. Die sich entwickelnde ökonomische Theorie der Fähigkeitsbildung sagt dieser Form der Bildungspolitik hohe soziale Renditen voraus. Anhand eines Experiments mit randomisierten Kontrollgruppendesigns soll der Nachweis der Wirksamkeit früher Hilfen erbracht werden. Als Untersuchungsgegenstand des Experiments dient das Modellprojekt Pro Kind, das sich an erstgebärende Mütter mit ökonomischen und sozialen Belastungsfaktoren wendet. Erste Auswertungen zeigen, dass das Modellprojekt diese Zielgruppe erreicht und dass die Belastungssituation mit einer Entwicklungsverzögerung des Kindes, gemessen am Kopfumfang, verbunden ist. Ein erster, vorläufiger Treatment-Effekt ist die Erhöhung des Geburtsgewichtes und der Körpergröße bei Jungen. Weitere Forschung in späteren Entwicklungsphasen ist erforderlich, um die Effizienz früher Hilfen in Deutschland näher zu bestimmen.Early childhood intervention, randomized controlled trial, socially disadvantaged children