Individual development account participation, asset ownership, and economic mobility among Native Hawaiians [electronic resource]
說明
235 p
附註
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-03, Section: A, page: 1035
Adviser: Anne Rosegrant Alvarez
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 2008
Individuals with low incomes in the U.S. tend to lack equal access to opportunities that promote asset accumulation and are less likely to be economically mobile over the life-cycle. Native Hawaiians face a number of socioeconomic challenges based on a history of colonization and socioeconomic marginalization. Individual Development Account (IDA) programs provide matched savings opportunities to low-income individuals. This study examines the extent to which IDA participation affects asset accumulation among a sample of Native Hawaiians. The study also tests the extent to which asset ownership and IDA participation influence absolute and relative economic mobility among the sample. Economic mobility is measured by changes in household income
The applied social research used a two-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design. The intervention group included individuals who opened an IDA, and the comparison group included of individuals who applied to the program but never opened an account. Administrative information was used as the pretest data and data collected in a multi-modal survey (self-administered mail, Internet, and telephone) were used for the posttest. A total of 329 responses were received, for a 43% response rate
Difference-in-difference estimates, logistic, and sequential multiple regression analyses resulted in these findings: (a) controlling for other factors, IDA participation explained positive gains in home and vehicle ownership; (b) checking account ownership at pretest strongly predicted positive economic mobility; (c) the sequence of asset ownership variables increased the variance of economic mobility explained; (d) total financial assets, and ownership of savings accounts, stocks, homes, and business did not predict economic mobility; and (e) IDA participation did not explain economic mobility
Findings from this study have theoretical, policy, and practice implications for the field of social welfare. The asset-based theory of social welfare (Sherraden, 1991) was partially supported, suggesting that people of all incomes could benefit from expanded access to institutions that promote asset accumulation. Social work practice could include financial practice dimensions into work with all populations. Directions for future research include examination of the influence of culture on asset ownership and specifications of mechanisms that explain how asset ownership affects individuals, households, and communities
