Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019
Significance The impact of chronic debt on the poor is psychological, not just financial. We hypo... more Significance The impact of chronic debt on the poor is psychological, not just financial. We hypothesize that chronic debt impairs psychological functioning and decision-making, contributing to the poverty trap. This is because debt is not considered fungible and is viewed as costly mental accounts that consume cognitive bandwidth. We test this using quasiexperimental evidence from a one-off, unanticipated debt-relief program worth several months’ household income. Comparing the poor before and after debt relief, those with more debt accounts paid off experienced greater improvements in cognitive functioning, reported less anxiety, and became less present-biased. These findings provide actionable evidence for poverty-alleviation policy.
The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of childhood maltreatment on youth offender rec... more The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of childhood maltreatment on youth offender recidivism in Singapore. The study used case file coding on a sample of 3,744 youth offenders, among whom about 6% had a childhood maltreatment history. The results showed that the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory 2.0 (YLS/CMI 2.0) ratings significantly predicted recidivism for nonmaltreated youth offenders, but not for maltreated youth offenders. Using propensity score matching, the result from a Cox regression analysis showed that maltreated youth offenders were 1.38 times as likely as their nonmaltreated counterparts to reoffend with a follow-up period of up to 7.4 years. The results implied that the YLS/CMI 2.0 measures were insufficient for assessing the risk for recidivism for the maltreated youth offenders, and that other information is needed to help assessors use the professional override when making the overall risk ratings.
Digital resources—which include devices, internet connection and digital literacy—have become bas... more Digital resources—which include devices, internet connection and digital literacy—have become basic needs. Thus with the global COVID-19 pandemic having accelerated digitalization, the urgency for universal digital inclusion has hastened. Otherwise, digital inequality will lead to social inequality and impede social mobility. Using Singapore as a case study, this article applies the insights learned from a participatory action research to recommend a policy framework for universal digital access, with practical humanistic steps towards full digital inclusion. Singapore is a digitally advanced nation with almost universal digital availability, yet when COVID-19 forced rapid digital adoption, gaps in access by vulnerable groups such as low-income households, elderly and migrant workers were found. From the learning points on gaps and measures taken by community groups, volunteers and policy-makers in our research, we recommend making access to all three digital resources automatic and...
In these times of an economic downturn, several stressors impact more stiffly on vulnerable group... more In these times of an economic downturn, several stressors impact more stiffly on vulnerable groups in Singapore. Irene Ng and David Rothwell point out these stressors at multiple levels and suggest ways social policy can continue to respond. The current economic realities are introducing a wide range of new demands and economic pressures into the family system that will challenge the unit’s ability to adapt.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019
Significance The impact of chronic debt on the poor is psychological, not just financial. We hypo... more Significance The impact of chronic debt on the poor is psychological, not just financial. We hypothesize that chronic debt impairs psychological functioning and decision-making, contributing to the poverty trap. This is because debt is not considered fungible and is viewed as costly mental accounts that consume cognitive bandwidth. We test this using quasiexperimental evidence from a one-off, unanticipated debt-relief program worth several months’ household income. Comparing the poor before and after debt relief, those with more debt accounts paid off experienced greater improvements in cognitive functioning, reported less anxiety, and became less present-biased. These findings provide actionable evidence for poverty-alleviation policy.
The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of childhood maltreatment on youth offender rec... more The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of childhood maltreatment on youth offender recidivism in Singapore. The study used case file coding on a sample of 3,744 youth offenders, among whom about 6% had a childhood maltreatment history. The results showed that the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory 2.0 (YLS/CMI 2.0) ratings significantly predicted recidivism for nonmaltreated youth offenders, but not for maltreated youth offenders. Using propensity score matching, the result from a Cox regression analysis showed that maltreated youth offenders were 1.38 times as likely as their nonmaltreated counterparts to reoffend with a follow-up period of up to 7.4 years. The results implied that the YLS/CMI 2.0 measures were insufficient for assessing the risk for recidivism for the maltreated youth offenders, and that other information is needed to help assessors use the professional override when making the overall risk ratings.
Digital resources—which include devices, internet connection and digital literacy—have become bas... more Digital resources—which include devices, internet connection and digital literacy—have become basic needs. Thus with the global COVID-19 pandemic having accelerated digitalization, the urgency for universal digital inclusion has hastened. Otherwise, digital inequality will lead to social inequality and impede social mobility. Using Singapore as a case study, this article applies the insights learned from a participatory action research to recommend a policy framework for universal digital access, with practical humanistic steps towards full digital inclusion. Singapore is a digitally advanced nation with almost universal digital availability, yet when COVID-19 forced rapid digital adoption, gaps in access by vulnerable groups such as low-income households, elderly and migrant workers were found. From the learning points on gaps and measures taken by community groups, volunteers and policy-makers in our research, we recommend making access to all three digital resources automatic and...
In these times of an economic downturn, several stressors impact more stiffly on vulnerable group... more In these times of an economic downturn, several stressors impact more stiffly on vulnerable groups in Singapore. Irene Ng and David Rothwell point out these stressors at multiple levels and suggest ways social policy can continue to respond. The current economic realities are introducing a wide range of new demands and economic pressures into the family system that will challenge the unit’s ability to adapt.
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