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Sleeper Effects in Adulthood
Even though the initial impacts of programs like Head Start may diminish over time, various research studies have highlighted significant long-term social and economic benefits for those who participated as children. A study conducted by David Deming in 2009 examined children who participated in the Head Start program between 1984 and 1990 and compared their outcomes with those of their siblings who did not attend. While the test score advantage enjoyed by Head Start participants decreased from an initial 5 percentile points in elementary school to just 2 points by middle school, other areas reflected more enduring benefits. These children exhibited a 6 to 7 percentage point reduction in the likelihood of repeating a grade or being diagnosed with learning disabilities, as well as a 9 percentage point increase in high school graduation rates. Additionally, they were 7 percentage points less likely to be unemployed or to experience poor health in early adulthood.
Further analysis by Lauren Bauer and Diane Schanzenbach revealed that siblings of Head Start participants had a 9 percentage point higher probability of attaining higher education, alongside improved self-esteem and self-control. These individuals also demonstrated more constructive parenting behaviors, such as engaging in educational activities with their children and offering emotional support. Interestingly, they tended to use corporal punishment less frequently than their counterparts who had not participated in the program, possibly due to similar experiences in their own upbringing.
Research indicates that the benefits of Head Start can even extend beyond the immediate participants. For instance, Elise Chor’s research on data from the Head Start Impact Study revealed that children whose mothers had previously attended the program also displayed better math skills and behavioral outcomes through the third grade. Additionally, work by Andrew Barr and Chloe Gibbs evidenced that the positive effects of the program persisted into adulthood for the children of Head Start participants, translating into higher levels of education and reduced risks of teenage pregnancy and criminal behavior.
These results have led many researchers to conclude that the Head Start program more than compensates for its initial costs. The financial investment in early childhood education tends to yield substantial returns as these individuals enter adulthood. According to data from its earlier days, the advantages offered by Head Start can outweigh its costs by as much as seven times when considering impacts on education, crime rates, and health outcomes. More current findings by Patrick Kline and Christopher Walters suggest that not only does Head Start yield direct benefits, but it also enables a shift away from other government-funded preschool options, which collectively corroborate its financial viability.
Yet, the origins of these “sleeper effects” remain somewhat elusive. Historically, scholars have alluded to the significance of “non-cognitive skills” that traditional academic assessments fail to capture. However, the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Program identified various social and emotional metrics—such as attentiveness and peer interactions—only to observe a similar fadeout in these areas as with cognitive measures. While these children initially fared better at age five, by the fifth grade, their control group peers had often caught up in various dimensions.
Although a two-decade wait may seem prolonged for a financial return on investment, many benefits of Head Start emerge more quickly. Research by Deming, alongside others, indicates that the program effectively prevents grade retention, typically by age ten. This suggests that the costs incurred from repeating a school year can equate to those invested in a year of Head Start education.
Additionally, benefits for parents can manifest sooner than those for children. According to analysis of the Head Start Impact Study, Cuiping Schiman reported that 7 percent of mothers utilizing the program transitioned from part-time to full-time employment. Furthermore, Terri Sabol and Lindsay Chase-Lansdale found that 16 to 20 percent of parents who had previously begun their college education successfully completed their degrees or certifications within four years, particularly when their child started Head Start at age three. Such benefits offer a possible mechanism for the aforementioned sleeper effects, as more educated and professionally advanced parents are often better equipped to support their children during their formative years.
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