The National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) Riverside study. Immediately preceding the welfare reform nationwide in the mid-1990s, welfare applicants in Riverside, California, were assigned at random to either a labor force attachment (LFA) program (Z = 1) or a control condition (Z = 0) in an experimental study. The LFA program, with the goal of eventually weaning participants from the welfare system, emphasized seeking and securing employment, offered job search services, and provided incentives including a threat of sanctions should one fail to meet the program requirements, while the control group members were guaranteed cash assistance without the requirement for employment.
A list containing
Outcome. Maternal depression among participants at the end of two years after treatment.
Mediator. A binary indicator for whether one was employed in any quarter during the 2 years after randomization.
Treatment
Mediator
Preference for taking care of family full time rather than working
Too many family problems for full-time or part-time job
Cannot go school training due to too much to do
Sad past week
Depressed past week
Blues past week
Lonely past week
Hispanic = 1; otherwise = 0
Never married = 1; otherwise = 0
No high school diploma or GED = 1; otherwise = 0
On AFDC 36 of past 60 months = 1; otherwise = 0
Ever in a situation of not receiving welfare during the first year after randomization = 1; otherwise = 0