The Comparative Impact of Cash Transfers and a Psychotherapy Program on Psychological and Economic Well-being

We study the economic and psychological effects of a USD 1076 PPP unconditional cash transfer, a five-week psychotherapy program, and the combination of both interventions among 5,756 individuals in rural Kenya. One year after the interventions, cash transfer recipients had higher consumption, asset holdings, and revenue, as well as higher levels of psychological well-being than control households. In contrast, the psychotherapy program had no measurable effects on either psychological or economic outcomes, both for individuals with poor mental health at baseline and others. The effects of the combined treatment are similar to those of the cash transfer alone.

• If you want to attend this online seminar, you need to register here. You will then receive the details of the zoom session by email.

• Your microphone will be on mute upon joining the meeting, please leave it like that and unmute it only if you want to ask a question.

• Asking questions: please just go ahead and ask questions in the “usual way” (ie, don’t use the chat unless you want to notify the host of any problem related to seminar).

• Please use the registration form also to register for a Zoom bilateral on the day of the seminar. Deadline for requesting a bilateral is Thursday 25 Mar at 09:00.