Research

Journal articles

[Forthcoming – Economic Letters] von Russdorf, S., L. Ahlborn, A. Hidalgo, G. McQuade, M. Favara, “A sound methodology: Measuring experiences of violent conflict through audio self-interviews”.

Pazos, N., Favara, M., Sanchez, A., Scott, D., Behrman, J. (2024), “Long-term effect of rainfall shocks on  foundational cognitive skills: evidence from Peru. Economics & Human Biology, Vol. 54, 101407, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2024.101407.

Lopez, J., Behrman, J., Cueto, S., Favara, M., Sanchez, A. (2024), “Late-Childhood Foundational Cognitive Skills Predict Educational Outcomes Through Adolescence and Into Young Adulthood: Evidence from Ethiopia and Peru”, Economics of Education Review, Vol. 100, 102543, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2024.102543

Sanchez, A., Favara, M., Behrman, J., M. Sheridan (2024), "How Early Nutrition and Foundational Cognitive Skills Interconnect? Evidence from Two Developing Countries”. World Development, Vol.176, 106480, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106480.

Freund, R., Favara, M., Porter, C., Behrman, J., (2024), “Social Protection and Foundational Cognitive Skills during Adolescence: Evidence from a Large Public Works Programme”, The World Bank Economic Review, Vol. 38 (2), 296–318, https://doi.org/10.1093/wber/lhad035.

Mitchell, M., Favara, M., Porter, C. and Sanchez, A. (2023). "Human Capital Development: New Evidence on the Production of Socio-Emotional Skills", Journal of Human Resources, 1120-11342R1; https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1120-11342R1

Perez-Alvarez, M., and M. Favara (2023) "Children having children: early motherhood and offspring human capital in India", Journal Population Econonmics, 36, 1573–1606 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-023-00946-0

Wuni, R.; Ventura, E. F.; Curi-Quinto, K.; Murray, C.; Nunes, R.; Lovegrove, J. A.; Penny, M.; Favara, M.; Sanchez, A.; Santhanakrishnan Vimaleswaran K., (2023) “Interactions between genetic and lifestyle factors on cardiometabolic disease-related outcomes in Latin American and Caribbean populations: A systematic review.”, Frontiers in Nutrition, Vol. 10; https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1067033

Vega-Salas M. J., Curi-Quinto K.,  Hidalgo-Aréstegui A.,  Meza-Carbajal K.,  Lago-Berrocal N.,  Arias L.,  Favara M., Penny M., Sánchez A., Santhanakrishnan Vimaleswaran K.,(2022). “Development of an online food frequency questionnaire and estimation of misreporting of energy intake during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults in Peru”, Frontiers in Nutrition, Vol.9,  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.949330

Porter, C., A. Hittmeyer, M. Favara, D. Scott, A. Sanchez (2022) “The Evolution of Young People’s Mental Health during COVID-19: Evidence from four Low-and-Middle-Income-Countries”, Public Health Practice (Oxf). doi: 10.1016/j.puhip.2022.100232.

Favara, M., R. Freund, C. Porter, A. Sanchez, D. Scott, (2022) "Young Lives interrupted: Effects of Covid-19 and containment policies on Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries"; Journal of Development Studies; 5(6), 1063-1080, doi: 10.1080/00220388.2022.2029421.

Favara, M.,  A. Hittmeyer, C. Porter, S. Saurabh, T. Woldehanna (2022) “Young people, mental health, and civil conflict: Preliminary findings from Ethiopia's Tigray region”, Psychiatry Research Communications, Vol. 2, Issue 1, 2022, doi.org/10.1016/j.psycom.2022.100025.

Chang, G., M. Favara, R. Novella (2022) "The origins of cognitive skills and personality: the effect of in-utero climate shocks on adolescents and young adult life outcomes”, Economics & Human Biology, Vol. 44, doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101089.

 Curi-Quinto K., Sánchez, A., Lago-Berrocal N., Penny, M., Murray, C., Nunes, R., Favara, M., Wijeyesekera, A., Lovegrove, J., Soto-Cáceres, V., Karani, V. (2021) "Role of Government Financial Support and Vulnerability Characteristics Associated with Food Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Young Peruvians". Nutrients, 13(10), https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103546

Favara, M., G. Crivello, M. Penny, C. Porter, E. Revathi, A. Sánchez, D. Scott, L. D. Thuc, T. Woldehanna, A. McKay (2021) "Cohort Profile Update: The Young Lives Study"  International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 50 (21), 1784–1785e, doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyab111.

Porter, C., M. Favara, A. Hittemeyer, et al., (2021) “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on anxiety and depression symptoms of young people in the Global South: evidence from a four-country cohort study”. BMJ Open 2021;11; doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049653.

Porter, C., M. Favara, A. Sanchez, D. Scott, (2021)“The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the experience of domestic violence among young people in Peru: Evidence from a list randomization experiment”. Social Science and Medicine- Population Health, Vol. 14, June 2021, 100792; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100792

Ellanki R., Favara M, Le Thuc D. et al., “Assessing the potential impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) outcomes: evidence from telephone surveys in the four Young Lives countries”. Emerald Open Res 2021, 3:15;  https://doi.org/10.35241/emeraldopenres.14263.1

Crivello, G.; Favara, M. (2020) “COVID-19 and the ‘Ethics of Disruption’: Current Dilemmas Facing Longitudinal Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries”. Methodological Innovation, Vol 14 (1), https://doi.org/10.1177/2059799121994223

Favara, M., P. Lavado and A. Sanchez (2020), “Understanding teenage fertility, cohabitation, and marriage: the case of Peru”, Review of Development Economics, 24 (4); 1217-1236, Nov. 2020; https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12648

Favara, M; C. Porter, T. Woldehanna (2019), "Smarter through Social Protection? Evaluating the Impact of Ethiopia’s Safety-Net on Child Cognitive Abilities", Oxford Development Studies, 7 (1): 79-96; https://doi.org/10.1080/13600818.2018.1499884

Favara, M. (2017), "Do dreams come true? Aspirations and educational attainments of Ethiopian boys and girls", Journal of African Economies, 26 (1); 561-583; https://doi.org/10.1093/jae/ejx018

Favara, M. (2017), Maternal Social Participation and Children Nutritional Status In Peru”, Review of Development Economics, 22: 459–483; https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12363

Favara, M. and A. Sanchez (2017), "Psychosocial competencies and risky behaviors in Peru", IZA Journal of Labor and Development, 6:3, Feb. 2017; https://doi.org/10.1186/s40175-016-0069-3.

R&R and under-review journal articles

• [R&R – Journal of the Human Resources] Aguero J., M. Favara, C. Porter, A. Sanchez (2021) “Do More School Resources Increase Learning Outcomes? Evidence from an Extended School-Day Reform” (2021), IZA Discussion Papers 14240.

•  [under review- Review of Development Economics] Scott, D., Freund, R., Favara, M., Porter, C. and Sánchez, A. “Don't Blame the Children: Rethinking the Post-lockdown Employment Recovery of Young Women in the Global South “. Early version: “Unpacking the Post-lockdown Employment Recovery of Young Women in the Global South”. IZA Discussion Paper Series, No. 14829, November 2021

• [under review-Clinical Nutrition] Ramatu W., K. Curi-Quinto, L. Liu, D. Espinoza, A. I. Aquino, J. del Valle-Mendoz, M.A. Aguilar-Luis, C. Murray, R. Nunes4, L. Methven, J. A. Lovegrove, M. Penny, M. Favara, A. Sánchez, K. S. Vimaleswaran, “Interaction between genetic risk score and dietary carbohydrate intake on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels: Findings from the SONGS”

• [to be submitted] Freund R., M. Favara, C. Porter, D. Scott, D. Le Thuc (2022), “The Mental Cost of Job Loss: Assessing the Impact on Young Adults in Vietnam”, IZA Discussion Papers 15522.

• [to be submitted] Perez-Alvarez, M., R. Freund, M. Favara. “What If It Never Happened? Subjective Treatment Effects of a Negative Shock on Individual Labour Market Outcomes in Developing Countries”, IZA Discussion Papers 16417.

Papers in progress

• Freund R., M. Favara (2024) “Love Thy Neighbour? Violent armed Conflict and Trust: Evidence from Ethiopia”.

• Aurino E., M. Miraldo, C. Millet, M. Favara “Manna from the sky? Rainfall shocks and gender inequality in adolescent dietary diversity”.

• Favara, M, Pozuelo, J. R., "How well informed are young people when making schooling decision in Ethiopia? Determinants of young people’s earning expectations in Ethiopia”

• Doss, C., Chang, G., Favara, F. "Youth in Agriculture:  Choice or Lack of Opportunity”.

• Favara, M., Novella, R. “Filling-Up the Shopping Trolley: Improvements in Nutrient Intake and Remittances in Kosovo”.

Working papers

• Favara M., C. Porter, A. Hittmeyer, S. Saurabh, T. Woldehanna (2021) “In the shadow of conflict: Estimating the impact of civil unrest in the Tigray region on Ethiopian young people’s symptoms of anxiety and depression”.

• Sánchez, A., Favara, M., Porter, C. (2021), “Stratification of Returns to Higher Education in Peru: The Role of Education Quality and Major Choices”, IZA Discussion Papers 14339.

• Favara M., P. Glewwe, C. Porter, A. Sanchez (2021), “Expecting better? How young people form their earnings expectations”, IZA Discussion Papers 14289.

• Favara, M. (2012), “The Cost of Acting ‘Girly’: Gender Stereotypes and Educational Choices”, IZA Discussion Paper No. 7037, December 2012.

• Favara, M. (2013),“Is Self-Esteem a “Double Edged Sword"? Self-Esteem and the Onset of Adolescent Sexual Activity”, IZA Discussion Paper No. 7171, February 2013.

• Favara M., A. Sanchez (2019) "Consequences of Teenage childbearing in Peru: is the extended-school-hour-program an effective policy instrument to prevent teenage pregnancy?”, Young Lives Working Paper N. 185

Research grants [ongoing]

• • Wellcome Trust, "Lifetime and Proximate Risk and Protective Factors for Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing: Young Lives seventh survey round”, Date: 01/04/2023-31/03/202; Role: PI. Total grant: £600k

  • Old Dart Foundation, “Niños del Milenio” (Young Lives Peru) research and advocacy 2021-2025”. Date: 01/07/2021-30/06/2025; Role: PI. Total grant: £1m

  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Accountable Grant: “Young Lives at Work”. Date: 31/12/2019-31/03/2025; Role: PI; Deputy Director. Total grant: £9.4m  

  • National Institute of Health (NIH), Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21): "Foundational cognitive skills in low- and middle-income countries: early-life nutritional, climatic and policy determinants and impacts on adolescent education, socio-emotional competencies and risky behaviors". PI: Jere Behrman (UPenn). Role: Co-PI. Date: 31/01/2019-31/08/2023;Total grant: £278k

  • Medical Research Council, UK - Peru: Relationship between food, Nutrition & Health: “Nutrition, Lifestyle, Genes and Metabolome - A Biosocial Cohort Study of Obesity in Young Adults from Urban Peru”. Date: 01/04/2019-31/03/2023; PI: Vimal Karani (University of Reading). Role: Co- PI. Total grant: £1.1m

Research grants [completed]

• • ESRC/GCRF Skills and Education, “Inequality of opportunity in Peru: How can young people develop relevant skills and find decent employment in a rapidly changing labour market?”. Date: 01/12/2018-31/03/2021; PI: Catherine Porter, Heriot-Watt University; Role: Co-PI. Total grant: £283k

  • Old Dart Foundation, “Niños del Milenio” (Young Lives Peru) research and advocacy 2018-2021”. Date: 01/07/2018-30/06/2021; Role: Co-PI (Oxford PI). Total grant: £400k

  • Oxford Martin School, “Governing African Transitions”, PIs: S. Dercon, R. Soares de Oliveira, Oxford University. Date: 01/01/2018-01/01/2020. Role: Investigator. Total grant: £655k

  • International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Canada), “A Comparative Study of Child Marriage and Parenthood in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Zambia”, PI: G. Crivello, Oxford University. Date: 01/01/2018-11/01/2019; Role: Investigator. Total grant: £266k

  • UK Global Challenges Research Fund- Global Mental Health Research; “The influence of Executive Function on Mental Health in vulnerable adolescents: a multi-site LMICs approach”, PI: C.R. Newton, Oxford University. Date: 02/01/2018-02/01-2019 Role: Investigator. Total grant: £267k

  • International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Canada), “Millennials: Enhancing opportunities for vulnerable youth in Latin America”. Date: 03/01/2017-08/01/2018; Role: PI. Total grant: £28k

  • The World Bank- Early Learning Partnership Programme, “Early Childhood development and Skills development in Ethiopia, India, Peru, Vietnam”. Date: 01/01/2016-12/31/2016, Role: PI. Total grant: £32k

  • William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, “Changing women’s lives in social context: economic growth, cultural norms and the dynamics of gender inequality in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam”. Date: 01/01/2015-09/01/2016, Role: Investigator. Oxford component: £460k