Graduation Year
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Economics
Major Professor
Andrei Barbos, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Gabriel Picone, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Diogo Baerlocher Carvalho, Ph.D.
Committee Member
William Greene, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Razvan Teodorescu, Ph.D.
Keywords
Environmental Economics, Health Economics, Human Capital, Birth Weight
Abstract
This dissertation investigates how environmental shocks and early-life health conditions influence child and adolescent development in low- and middle-income countries, using longitudinal data from the Young Lives survey in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam. The two chapters address distinct but interrelated dimensions of human capital formation: the effect of environmental shocks on adolescent self-esteem and the causal impact of birth weight on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes.
Chapter 1 analyzes how shocks such as droughts, floods, and crop failures affect adolescent selfesteem, a key non-cognitive skill linked to long-term well-being. Using a fixed-effects model, the study finds heterogeneous effects: environmental shocks increase self-esteem in Ethiopia and Peru but decrease it in India and Vietnam. These differences reflect variations in local economic conditions, cultural norms, and institutional responses. In India, deteriorating physical health is identified as a key pathway linking shocks to reduced self-esteem.
Chapter 2 examines the causal impact of birth weight on cognitive ability (measured by Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test scores) and self-esteem, employing an instrumental variables approach using maternal height and preterm birth status as instruments. A 1% increase in birth weight is associated with a 0.71% increase in cognitive scores, underscoring the importance of early-life health for cognitive development. No significant effect is found on self-esteem, suggesting noncognitive outcomes may be more sensitive to environmental and social factors.
Overall, the findings highlight the need for integrated policies that promote resilience by addressing both early-life health and environmental vulnerabilities in developing countries.
Scholar Commons Citation
Gabitova, Karina, "Essays in Development Economics" (2025). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10950
