Gina Chowa

Transforming wealth: Using the inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS) and splines to predict youth’s math achievement

The natural log and categorical transformations commonly applied to wealth for meeting the statistical assumptions of research may not always be appropriate for adjusting for skewness given wealths unique properties. Finding and applying appropriate transformations is becoming increasingly important as researchers consider wealth as a predictor of well-being. We present an alternative transformation-the inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS)-for simultaneously dealing with skewness and accounting for wealths unique properties. Using the relationship between household wealth and youths math achievement as an example, we apply the IHS transformation to wealth data from US and Ghanaian households. We also explore non-linearity and accumulation thresholds by combining IHS transformed wealth with splines. IHS transformed wealth relates to youths math achievement similarly when compared to categorical and natural log transformations, indicating that it is a viable alternative to other transformations commonly used in research. Non-linear relationships and accumulation thresholds emerge that predict youths math achievement when splines are incorporated. In US households, accumulating debt relates to decreases in math achievement whereas accumulating assets relates to increases in math achievement. In Ghanaian households, accumulating assets between the 25th and 50th percentiles relates to increases in youths math achievement.

Personal Financial Problems: Opportunities for Social Work Interventions?

ABSTRACT Social workers have opportunities to help clients address their financial problems through a variety of practice settings, yet little is known about how they do so. Using qualitative methods and descriptive statistics, we analyzed responses from a survey of social workers and other human service professionals (N = 56). Participants primarily characterized their clients’ financial problems as the result of making poor financial decisions and mostly used financial education techniques in response. Most participants said they faced workplace barriers to helping their clients with financial problems, including lack of expertise and time and inability to bill for services. Social workers who want to address clients’ financial problems should recognize that financial problems stem not just from difficulties in managing money, but in the need for increased income, resources, and assets and an understanding of financial services. Future research with a larger sample of social workers is needed to assess how intervention methods vary by client population and to conduct pilot efficacy evaluations of well-conceptualized interventions to promote financial well-being.

Wealth Effects of an Asset-Building Intervention Among Rural Households in Sub-Saharan Africa

Asset development is a key strategy to promote economic and social development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Research has found associations between asset ownership and household well-being. However, to date there has been little rigorous research on impacts of asset-building interventions for families in Sub-Saharan Africa. Data were obtained from AssetsAfrica, a demonstration and research initiative designed to test asset-building innovations in Masindi, Uganda. The study sample consists of 393 individuals assigned to the intervention group (n = 203) or the comparison group (n =190). The intervention is a structured, matched-savings account offered to the intervention group for a 3-year period. In addition, the program participants were offered financial education and asset-management training. Participants who successfully reach their savings goals receive matched funds at a 1:1 ratio. Propensity score optimal matching and matching estimators are used to investigate the impact of the intervention on financial and productive assets. Results indicate a positive effect of the intervention on family financial assets; that is, individuals who receive the asset-building intervention have almost

Training Social Workers in Personal Finance: An Exploratory Study

39 more in financial assets than those in the comparison group. Further, the matching estimators indicate a statistically significant larger treatment effect on the treated group. However, the impact of the intervention on ownership of productive assets is less conclusive. Overall, results of this study show that asset-building interventions have potential utility as a policy solution for improving the economic well-being of poor households in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Cultural and Ethical Issues Concerning Research on American Indian Youth

Social workers have opportunities to help individuals and families with their financial problems in a variety of practice settings, yet receive no formal training to do so. Using data from an online survey of social workers and other human service professionals (N = 56) who completed or expressed interest in a financial social work certification program, we found that respondents were able to apply what they learned to help their clients and valued the practical and interactive nature of program content. We also found that respondents were not immune from experiencing some of the same financial problems that confront their clients. Implications for educating BSW and MSW students about household finance are presented and discussed.

Parental Involvement and Academic Performance in Ghana

A study of American Indian youths illustrates competing pressures between research and ethics. A stakeholder-researcher team developed three plans to protect participants. The first allowed participants to skip potentially upsetting interview sections. The second called for participants flagged for abuse or suicidality to receive referrals, emergency 24-hr clinical backup, or both. The third, based on the communitys desire to promote service access, included giving participants a list of service resources. Interviewers gave referrals to participants flagged as having mild problems, and reported participants with serious problems to supervisors for clinical backup. Participants seldom chose to skip sections, so data integrity was not compromised. However, participants did have more problems than expected (e.g., 1 in 3 had thought about suicide, 1 in 5 had attempted suicide, and 1 in 4 reported abuse), so service agencies were not equipped to respond. Researchers must accept the competing pressures and find ethically appropriate compromises that will not undermine research integrity.

Individual Development Accounts for Housing Policy: Analysis of Individual and Program Characteristics

Introduction If provided an opportunity to save via formal financial services, will youth participate? This is one of the fundamental questions being asked by YouthSave, a four-country study targeted for young people ages 12 to 18 living predominantly in low-income households. Youth do save informally and—if given an opportunity—also may participate in formal banking services (Save the Children Federation, Inc., 2012; UNCDF, 2011), but such opportunities are few. The limited research available suggests that financial inclusion has important youth development effects and deserves greater study (Chowa & Ansong, 2010; Deshpande & Zimmerman, 2010; Elliott, 2012; Scanlon & Adams, 2009; Ssewamala & Ismayilova, 2009).

Asset Ownership and Future Orientation of Youth and Their Parents: Evidence From Ghana

Homeownership is a desirable goal for most Americans and is considered an integral part of the American Dream. Empirical studies indicate homeownership has many positive outcomes. However, homeownership is not prevalent among low-income populations. Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are matched savings accounts designed to help the working poor save for a home or other assets. This paper examines the savings outcomes of IDA participants saving for a home in the American Dream Policy Demonstration, which was the first large-scale test of IDAs. Data were collected from 1997 to 2001 on 1176 participants saving to purchase a home. Results indicate that low-income IDA participants can successfully save when provided structured opportunities. This paper examines individual and program characteristics that are important to explaining saving behaviors. Implications for policy makers, program administrators, and future research are given.

Chuma na Uchizi: A Livelihood Intervention to Increase Food Security of People Living with HIV in Rural Zambia

Although future orientation influences a variety of desirable behaviors, few studies have examined the relationship between economic resources and future orientation. In this study, we investigated whether and how asset ownership influences future orientation. We analyzed survey data collected from 3,007 Ghanaian youth and their parents. We used factor analysis to determine the psychometric qualities of our instruments, and propensity score analysis to examine the relationship between asset ownership and future orientation. Results suggest that asset ownership influences future orientation of youth and their parents. However, the direction of the relationship depends on the type of asset. Ownership of household possessions, including televisions contributes to higher levels of future orientation, but livestock ownership has a negative effect on future orientation. We discuss implications for future research, as well as programs for youth and their families.

Preventive Policy Strategy for Banking the Unbanked: Savings Accounts for Teenagers?

Abstract:The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of Chuma na Uchizi, a livelihood intervention for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in rural Eastern Province, Zambia, on food security. The intervention included cash transfers to purchase income-generating assets, access to a savings account, and life-skills training. The study employed a non-equivalent groups design to compare intervention (n = 50) and control participants (n = 51) who were receiving outpatient care from two comparable health facilities in distinct constituencies in the same geographic area. We collected data before and after implementation of the intervention. Chuma na Uchizi improved access to food. At follow-up, the intervention group reported lower food insecurity scores compared with the control group (β = –5.65; 95% CI – 10.85 ––0.45). Livelihood programs for PLHIV are practical and may be a promising approach to address food insecurity and its adverse effects.