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Working Papers (authors listed in alphabetical order)
Working Papers (authors listed in alphabetical order)
Intervention in Networks: Evaluating Positive Youth Development Program Participation in the U.S., under review. - Job Market Paper
Abstract: This paper investigates individual decisions to participate in behavioral health interventions and provides insights into policy approaches that leverage social networks, depending on how these networks evolve in response to treatment participation. Behavioral health interventions, such as Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs, not only influence individual behaviors but also alter participants’ social network dynamics. The novelty of this work lies in capturing the interdependence between intervention participation and network dynamics, as well as identifying the role of social network dynamics in enhancing intervention efficiency. Using restricted Add Health data, my analysis underscores the importance of social influence, showing that each additional friend joining a PYD program significantly increases an individual’s likelihood of participation. This is comparable to the effect of a one-point increase in math GPA. A counterfactual analysis suggests that with targeted strategies, for every individual incentivized by a policy to join, the social influence and network changes induced by their participation will attract at least one additional participant. Failing to account for network dynamics could introduce a 25% to 47% downward bias in a policy’s predicted social multiplier effect.
School Assignment with Endogenous Capacity, work in progress.
with Thayer Morrill
Abstract: A standard assumption in the school assignment literature is that a school’s capacity is fixed and exogenous. However, in some applications, the capacity available for assignment is endogenous to the assignment itself. We detail two sources of endogeneity we encountered when designing the assignment procedure for the Wake County Public School System magnet schools. Moreover, we introduce solutions to each source of endogeneity. Our solutions also have novel theoretical implications: there is more than one strategyproof and fair assignment mechanism.
Do Expanded Income and Asset Limits Impact Older Adults’ Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), work in progress.
with Melissa McInerney and Melinda Morrill
Working Paper Version (November 2025)
NBER Spring Aging Meeting (Earlier Version)
Abstract: Recognizing the distinct income and asset portfolios of older adults, federal eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) allows higher assets, income, and medical and shelter cost deductions for households with older adults (age 60+). We provide the first descriptive evidence showing that there is only a small increase in eligibility and no increase in participation when these criteria loosen at the age 60 cutoff. We also provide quasi-experimental evidence of the effect of optional state "Broad Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE)" expansions on SNAP participation for older households. These expansions do significantly increase both eligibility and participation for older households. This suggests that relaxing asset and net income limits can effectively increase participation among older households. We show that participation increased among those who were not federally eligible such that the entire effect of BBCE in older households can be explained by those gaining eligibility.
Published and Forthcoming Articles (authors listed in alphabetical order)
Published and Forthcoming Articles (authors listed in alphabetical order)
Health and Retirement: Heterogeneity in the Responsiveness to Pension Incentives, accepted Economics Letters, March 24, 2024.
De Fen Hsu, Melinda Morrill, and Aditi Pathak
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