The Impact of Economic Migration on Child Development: Evidence from the Mexican Family Life Survey By Elizabeth T. Powers Draft Date: November 30, 2009 Abstract: Data from the Mexican Family Life Survey are used to estimate the net impact of migration of a...
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The Impact of Economic Migration on Child Development: Evidence from the Mexican Family Life Survey By Elizabeth T. Powers Draft Date: November 30, 2009 Abstract: Data from the Mexican Family Life Survey are used to estimate the net impact of migration of a household member to the U.S. on the cognitive development of children remaining in Mexico. Single-equation estimates of a ‘value-added’ specification of early child development (ECD) suggest there may be adverse effects of migration on cognitive development when the parent migrates, but no effect when the migrant is a sibling. Effects tend to be larger in absolute magnitude for children who are younger and later-born. An instrumental variables strategy based on historical migration patterns is used to correct for potential biases due to omitted variables and endogeneity of migration with ECD. The IV coefficients of the migration effects are insignificant once the estimated standard errors are adjusted for clustering at the household
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