The Impact of Asset Ownership on Future Orientation of Youth and Their Parents: Evidence From the YouthSave Ghana Experiment

Future orientation influences a variety of desirable behaviors, but few researchers have studied the impact of economic resources on future orientation. In this study, we investigate whether and how asset ownership influences future orientation of Ghanaian youth and their parents. Results of propensity score models suggest that asset ownership has a positive effect on future orientation of youth and their parents. Ownership of household possessions, including televisions and modes of transportation, contributes to higher levels of future orientation among youth and parents, but livestock ownership has a negative effect on future orientation. Asset ownership provides individuals and households with a sense of security that allows them to think about and anticipate future events. Programs that promote accumulation of assets may help households not only increase their economic resources but also positively influence future orientation, which contributes to other economically enabling behaviors.

Project: YouthSave