Randomized trial evaluates interventions to enhance child development in rural Peru, suggesting scalable alternatives exist.
Digital technologies have the potential to transform early childhood development (ECD) interventions by delivering personalized support at scale. We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Peru to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an artificial intelligence–supported digital parenting chatbot as well as traditional home visits as interventions to improve child development. Among 2461 caregiver-child dyads, both the digital and home-visiting interventions improved child development outcomes at 2.5 years of age, with standardized effect sizes of 0.11 and 0.17, respectively. At 1/15 of the cost of in-person support, the digital intervention yielded superior cost-effectiveness. These findings suggest that digital platforms can be a viable, scalable alternative to support children's development in resource-constrained settings.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Fink et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: