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Baby's First Years
NCT03593356 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Recent advances in developmental neuroscience suggest that experiences early in life can have profound and enduring influences on the developing brain. Family economic resources shape the nature of many of these experiences, yet the extent to which they affect children's development is unknown. The project's team of neuroscientists, economists and developmental psychologists is seeking to fill important gaps in scientific knowledge about the role of economic resources in early development by evaluating the first U.S. randomized controlled trial to determine whether unconditional cash gift payments have a causal effect on the cognitive, socio-emotional and brain development of infants and toddlers in low-income U.S. families. Specifically, 1,000 mothers of infants with incomes below the federal poverty line from four diverse U.S. communities were recruited from post-partum wards and are receiving monthly cash gift payments by debit card for the first 76 months of the child's life. Parents in the experimental group and receiving $333 per month ($3,996 per year), whereas parents in the active comparator group are receiving a nominal monthly payment of $20. In order to understand the impacts of the added income on children's cognitive and behavioral development, the investigators are assessing treatment group differences at ages 4 (this lab assessment was postponed from age 3 to age 4 due to Covid-19), 6, and 8 in lab-administered measures of cognitive, language, and self-regulation development and maternal reports of socio-emotional development. A number of other maternal-reported child outcome measures were gathered at ages 1, 2 and 3. Brain circuitry may be sensitive to the effects of early experience even before early behavioral differences can be detected. In order to understand the impacts of added income on children's brain functioning at age 4, 6, and 8, the investigators will assess, during a lab visit, experimental/active comparator group differences in measu
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Monthly cash gift payments of $333
- BEHAVIORAL Monthly cash gift payments of $20
Study Locations (1)
New York
- 12 hospitals in the following four metropolitan areas: New York, Omaha, New Orleans, and Twin Cities — New York
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 1,000 participants |
| Start Date | 2018-05-09 |
| Est. Completion | 2028-08-31 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03593356
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03593356 describes a study currently listed as active not recruiting. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 1,000 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is University of California, Irvine, which has 353 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 3 conditions, with Child Development appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Monthly cash gift payments of $333 is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT03593356 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include New York. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03593356 about?
NCT03593356 is a clinical study titled "Baby's First Years". Recent advances in developmental neuroscience suggest that experiences early in life can have profound and enduring influences on the developing brain. Family economic resources shape the nature of many of these experiences, yet the extent to which they affect children's development is unknown. The ...
What is the current status of trial NCT03593356?
This trial is currently active not recruiting. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 1,000 participants. The study started on 2018-05-09. Estimated completion is 2028-08-31.
What conditions does trial NCT03593356 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Child Development, Brain Development, Household and Family Processes. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03593356?
The interventions under investigation include: Monthly cash gift payments of $333 (BEHAVIORAL), Monthly cash gift payments of $20 (BEHAVIORAL). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03593356?
This trial is sponsored by University of California, Irvine, which has 353 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT03593356 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across New York. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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