The mechanisms mediating the effects of poverty on children's intellectual development

Oral language enrichment in preschool improves children's language skills: a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Oral language skills provide the foundation for formal education, yet many children enter school with language weaknesses. This study evaluated the efficacy of a new language enrichment programme, the Nuffield Early Language Intervention-Preschool (NELI Preschool), delivered to children in the year before they enter formal education.

METHODS

We conducted a preregistered cluster randomised controlled trial in 65 nursery schools in England (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN29838552). NELI Preschool consists of a 20-week whole-class language enrichment programme delivered by a teacher each day for 20 min. In addition, children with the weakest language skills in each class are allocated to receive additional targeted support delivered by classroom assistants (whole-class + targeted). The language skills of all children (n = 1,586) in participating classrooms were assessed using the LanguageScreen automated app (https://oxedandassessment.com/languagescreen/). Settings were then randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. The children with the weakest language in each class (whole-class + targeted children n = 438), along with four randomly selected children in each class allocated to the whole-class only programme (n = 288) were individually tested on a range of language measures.

RESULTS

Children receiving NELI Preschool made larger gains than children in the control group on an oral language latent variable (whole-class children d = .26; whole-class + targeted children d = .16).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides good evidence that whole-class intervention delivered in preschool can produce educationally significant improvements in children's language skills. The intervention is scaleable and relatively low cost. These findings have important implications for educational and social policy.

Understanding the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Early Childhood Development in Marginalised Roma Communities: The Role of Parental Education and Household Equipment

This study aimed to explore the effect of socioeconomic disadvantage accumulated in marginalised Roma communities (MRCs) on early childhood development and to assess the role of selected socioeconomic indicators in the association between belonging to MRCs vs. the majority and early childhood development. We obtained cross-sectional data from 232 mother-child dyads from MRCs and the majority population. The differences in early childhood development and background variables between the two groups were tested using chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. The moderated mediation was tested using PROCESS Macro in SPSS Model 14 on 5000 bootstrap samples. Statistically significant differences between children from MRCs and the majority were found in terms of maternal age, parental education, household equipment, as well as early childhood development. Household equipment moderated the indirect effect of being from MRCs vs. the majority on early childhood development through parental education. The indirect effect through parental education was high at a low household equipment level, reduced at an average level and non-significant at a high level of household equipment. Our study uncovered disparities in early childhood development between children from MRCs and the majority population. Parental education significantly influenced developmental outcomes, while household equipment mitigated its impact.

Epigenetic mechanisms linking early-life adversities and mental health

Early-life adversities, whether prenatal or postnatal exposure, have been linked to adverse mental health outcomes later in life increasing the risk of several psychiatric disorders. Research on its neurobiological consequences demonstrated an association between exposure to adversities and persistent alterations in the structure, function, and connectivity of the brain. Consistent evidence supports the idea that regulation of gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms are involved in embedding the impact of early-life experiences in the genome and mediate between social environments and later behavioral phenotypes. In addition, studies from rodent models and humans suggest that these experiences and the acquired risk factors can be transmitted through epigenetic mechanisms to offspring and the following generations potentially contributing to a cycle of disease or disease risk. However, one of the important aspects of epigenetic mechanisms, unlike genetic sequences that are fixed and unchangeable, is that although the epigenetic markings are long-lasting, they are nevertheless potentially reversible. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the mental health consequences derived from early-life exposure to malnutrition, maltreatment and poverty, adversities with huge and pervasive impact on mental health. We also discuss the evidence about transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals and experimental data suggesting that suitable social and pharmacological interventions could reverse adverse epigenetic modifications induced by early-life negative social experiences. In this regard, these studies must be accompanied by efforts to determine the causes that promote these adversities and that result in health inequity in the population.

The Necessity of Taking Culture and Context into Account When Studying the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Brain Development

Decades of research has revealed a relationship between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and brain development at the structural and functional levels. Of particular note is the distinction between income and maternal education, two highly correlated factors which seem to influence brain development through distinct pathways. Specifically, while a families' income-to-needs ratio is linked with physiological stress and household chaos, caregiver education influences the day-to-day language environment a child is exposed to. Variability in either one of these environmental experiences is related to subsequent brain development. While this work has the potential to inform public policies in a way that benefits children, it can also oversimplify complex factors, unjustly blame low-SES parents, and perpetuate a harmful deficit perspective. To counteract these shortcomings, researchers must consider sociodemographic differences in the broader cultural context that underlie SES-based differences in brain development. This review aims to address these issues by (a) identifying how sociodemographic mechanisms associated with SES influence the day-to-day experiences of children, in turn, impacting brain development, while (b) considering the broader cultural contexts that may differentially impact this relationship.

Association between poverty, low educational level and smoking with adolescent's working memory: cross lagged analysis from longitudinal data

Background

Working memory is a crucial element of cognitive function. Previous cross-sectional studies have identified various determinants of working memory in children and adolescents. Nonetheless, no study has yet demonstrated the causal relationship of social determinants with working memory in adolescents.

Objective

This study explores the causal link between the level of education, smoking, and other factors with adolescent's working memory.

Methods

This study analyzed secondary data from waves 4 and 5 of the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS), utilizing cross-lagged analysis in Jamovi version 2.4.8. The variables included working memory score, maternal education, household income, stress, educational level, smoking, urbanicity, and physical activity. These variables were extracted from IFLS waves 4 and 5, and each dependent variable in IFLS wave four was controlled by the same dependent variables in IFLS 5. Then, we used cross-lagged analysis to assess the causality between each dependent variable and a working memory score in IFLS wave 5.

Result

The findings indicate that level of education had a positive impact on working memory in adolescents aged 15-18 years, with a Beta value of 0.18 (95% CI 0.81-0.2; p < 0.001). Smoking and age were negatively associated with working memory, with Beta values of -0.07 (95% CI -0.65 -0.04; p < 0.029) and - 0.10 (95% CI -0.25 -0.05; p < 0.003), respectively. No evidence was found for a significant correlation between poverty and adolescents's working memory.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that increased education levels are associated with improved working memory in adolescents aged 15-18. At the same time, smoking has a negative impact on working memory in this age group.

Screening and determinant of suspected developmental delays among Egyptian preschool-aged children: a cross-sectional national community-based study

Background

Early childhood life is critical for optimal development and is the foundation of future well-being. Genetic, sociocultural, and environmental factors are important determinants of child development.

Aim

The objectives were to screen for suspected developmental delays (DDs) among Egyptian preschool children, and to explore the determinants of these delays based on sociodemographic, epidemiological, maternal, and child perinatal risk factors.

Methods

A national Egyptian cross-sectional developmental screening of a representative sample of preschool children (21,316 children) aged 12 to 71 months. The Revised Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (R-PDQ) followed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test, 2nd edition (DDST) was used.

Results

Each screened child manifested at least one of six developmental categories. Either typical development, gross motor delay (GM), fine motor adaptive delay (FMA), Language delay (L), Personal-social delay (PS), or multiple DDs. The prevalence of preschool children with at least one DD was 6.4%, while 4.5% had multiple DDs. Developmental language delay was the most prevalent, affecting 4.2% of children. The least affected domain was GM (1.9% of children). Boys were more likely to have DD than girls. Children in urban communities were more likely to have at least one DD than those in rural areas (OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.14–1.42), and children of middle social class than of low or high social class (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.30–1.70 & OR = 1.40, 95%CI: 1.23–1.59 respectively). The strong perinatal predictors for at least one DD were children with a history of postnatal convulsions (OR = 2.68, 95%CI: 1.97–3.64), low birth weight (OR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.69–2.52), or history of postnatal cyanosis (OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.26–2.49) and mothers had any health problem during pregnancy (OR = 1.73, 95%CI: 1.44–2.07). Higher paternal and maternal education decreased the odds of having any DD by 43% (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.47–0.68) and 31% (OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.58–0.82) respectively.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a considerable attempt to assess the types and the prevalence of DD among preschool children in Egypt. Perinatal factors are among the most common determinants of DD in preschool children and the majority could be preventable risk factors.

Screening and determinant of suspected developmental delays among Egyptian preschool-aged children: a cross-sectional national community-based study

BACKGROUND

Early childhood life is critical for optimal development and is the foundation of future well-being. Genetic, sociocultural, and environmental factors are important determinants of child development.

AIM

The objectives were to screen for suspected developmental delays (DDs) among Egyptian preschool children, and to explore the determinants of these delays based on sociodemographic, epidemiological, maternal, and child perinatal risk factors.

METHODS

A national Egyptian cross-sectional developmental screening of a representative sample of preschool children (21,316 children) aged 12 to 71 months. The Revised Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (R-PDQ) followed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test, 2nd edition (DDST) was used.

RESULTS

Each screened child manifested at least one of six developmental categories. Either typical development, gross motor delay (GM), fine motor adaptive delay (FMA), Language delay (L), Personal-social delay (PS), or multiple DDs. The prevalence of preschool children with at least one DD was 6.4%, while 4.5% had multiple DDs. Developmental language delay was the most prevalent, affecting 4.2% of children. The least affected domain was GM (1.9% of children). Boys were more likely to have DD than girls. Children in urban communities were more likely to have at least one DD than those in rural areas (OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.14-1.42), and children of middle social class than of low or high social class (OR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.30-1.70 & OR = 1.40, 95%CI: 1.23-1.59 respectively). The strong perinatal predictors for at least one DD were children with a history of postnatal convulsions (OR = 2.68, 95%CI: 1.97-3.64), low birth weight (OR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.69-2.52), or history of postnatal cyanosis (OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.26-2.49) and mothers had any health problem during pregnancy (OR = 1.73, 95%CI: 1.44-2.07). Higher paternal and maternal education decreased the odds of having any DD by 43% (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.47-0.68) and 31% (OR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.58-0.82) respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates a considerable attempt to assess the types and the prevalence of DD among preschool children in Egypt. Perinatal factors are among the most common determinants of DD in preschool children and the majority could be preventable risk factors.

A national screening for the prevalence and profile of disability types among Egyptian children aged 6-12 years: a community-based population study

AIM

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of disability domains among Egyptian children in the age group of 6-12 years as well as assess their socio-demographic, epidemiological, and perinatal predictors.

METHODS

A national population-based cross-sectional household survey targeting 20,324 children from eight governorates was conducted. The screening questionnaire was derived from the WHO ten-question survey tool validated for the identification of disabilities.

RESULTS

The prevalence of children with at least one type of disability was 9.2%. Learning/ comprehension was the most prevalent type (4.2%), followed by speech/communication (3.7%), physical/ mobility and seizures (2.2% for each), intellectual impairment (1.5%), visual (0.7%), and hearing (0.4%). The commonest predictors for disabilities were children who suffered from convulsions or cyanosis after birth and maternal history of any health problem during pregnancy. However, preterm and low birth weight (LBW) babies or being admitted to incubators for more than two days were strong predictors for all disabilities except hearing disability. A history of jaundice after birth significantly carried nearly twice the odds for seizures (AOR = 2.2, 95% CI:1.5-3.4). History of difficult labor was a predictor of intellectual impairment (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI:1.1-2.0). A disabled mother was a strong predictor for all disabilities except seizures, while a disabled father was a predictor for visual and learning/ comprehension disabilities (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI:2.2-7.1 & AOR = 1.6, 95% CI:1.1-2.4 respectively). Meanwhile, both higher maternal and paternal education decreased significantly the odds to have, physical/ mobility and Learning/ comprehension by at least 30%.

CONCLUSION

The study found a high prevalence of disability among Egyptian children aged 6-12 years. It spotted many modifiable determinants of disability domains. The practice of early screening for disability is encouraged to provide early interventions.

A national screening for the prevalence and profile of disability types among Egyptian children aged 6–12 years: a community-based population study

Aim

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of disability domains among Egyptian children in the age group of 6–12 years as well as assess their socio-demographic, epidemiological, and perinatal predictors.

Methods

A national population-based cross-sectional household survey targeting 20,324 children from eight governorates was conducted. The screening questionnaire was derived from the WHO ten-question survey tool validated for the identification of disabilities.

Results

The prevalence of children with at least one type of disability was 9.2%. Learning/ comprehension was the most prevalent type (4.2%), followed by speech/communication (3.7%), physical/ mobility and seizures (2.2% for each), intellectual impairment (1.5%), visual (0.7%), and hearing (0.4%). The commonest predictors for disabilities were children who suffered from convulsions or cyanosis after birth and maternal history of any health problem during pregnancy. However, preterm and low birth weight (LBW) babies or being admitted to incubators for more than two days were strong predictors for all disabilities except hearing disability. A history of jaundice after birth significantly carried nearly twice the odds for seizures (AOR = 2.2, 95% CI:1.5–3.4). History of difficult labor was a predictor of intellectual impairment (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI:1.1–2.0). A disabled mother was a strong predictor for all disabilities except seizures, while a disabled father was a predictor for visual and learning/ comprehension disabilities (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI:2.2–7.1 & AOR = 1.6, 95% CI:1.1–2.4 respectively). Meanwhile, both higher maternal and paternal education decreased significantly the odds to have, physical/ mobility and Learning/ comprehension by at least 30%.

Conclusion

The study found a high prevalence of disability among Egyptian children aged 6–12 years. It spotted many modifiable determinants of disability domains. The practice of early screening for disability is encouraged to provide early interventions.

Association between poverty and children's working memory abilities in developing countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Working memory is critical in cognitive skills, especially among children. Children's ability to count and complete cognitive tasks are strongly associated with working memory abilities. Recent studies indicated that in addition to health factors, socioeconomic status also has a significant impact on children's working memory capacity. Despite these, evidence on the effects of socioeconomic status on working memory from developing countries yielded a somewhat puzzling picture.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis provide a comprehensive summary of the recent evidence concerning the socioeconomic status determinants of children's working memory in developing countries. We searched via Cochrane library, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest. The initial search terms were ["socioeconomic", "socio-economic", "socioeconomic status", "socio-economic status", "income", "poverty", "disadvantaged", "disparity"] AND ["working memory", "short term memory", "short-term memory", "cognitive", "achievement", "performance"] AND ["child^*", "school child^*"]. Odds ratio (for categorical outcome data) or standardized mean differences (for continuous data) and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated from the data generated.

Results

This meta-analysis included five studies from 4 developing countries with a total of 4,551 subjects. Poverty was associated with a lower working memory score (OR: 3.12; 95% CI: 2.66, 3.65; p < 0.001). Another finding from 2 studies in this meta-analysis was that low mother education was associated with a lower score of working memory (OR: 3.26, 95% CI: 2.86, 3.71; p < 0.001).

Discussion

Poverty and low level of mothers' education were significant risk factors for lowering working memory among children in developing countries.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021270683.

Associations between early childhood poverty and cognitive functioning throughout childhood and adolescence: A 14-year prospective longitudinal analysis of the Mauritius Child Health Project

Associations between childhood poverty and cognitive outcomes have been examined from multiple perspectives. However, most evidence is based on cross-sectional data or longitudinal data covering only segments of the developmental process. Moreover, previous longitudinal research has mostly relied on data from Western nations, limiting insights of poverty dynamics in low- and middle-income countries. Here, we use data from the Mauritius Child Health Project, a large-scale prospective longitudinal study conducted in a then low-income country, to examine long-term associations between poverty in early childhood and cognitive performance across childhood and adolescence. Poverty-related factors were assessed at age 3 years and comprised indicators of psychosocial adversity and malnutrition. Cognitive functioning was assessed at ages 3 and 11 years by using standardized intelligence measures and at age 17 years by means of a computerized test battery. Using multiple hierarchical regression models, we found that chronic malnutrition and parental characteristics showed similar-sized, independent associations with initial cognitive functioning at age 3 as well as at age 11 years. For age 17 years, however, associations with early childhood risk factors vanished and instead, cognitive functioning was predicted by performance on prior cognitive assessments. Sex was also found to be a powerful predictor of cognitive trajectories, with boys improving and girls worsening over time, regardless of the level of their initial exposure to risk. The current findings indicate that, to prevent cognitive impairment, interventions tackling poverty and malnutrition should focus on the infancy period and be designed in a gender-sensitive way.

The Mechanism of Socioeconomic Status Effects on Cognition

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a measurement of the sociological and economic statuses of individuals compared to others within the social and economic hierarchies. The common indicators of SES are income, education, and occupation statuses. Recently, researchers have used mixed measurements of SES, such as the MacArthur Scale. Numerous researches have proven the influence of SES on human development. Individuals who are less educated, have lower job status, and earn less or no income are at greater risk of poor health than their higher SES counterparts. SES has also been proven to influence life satisfaction, academic achievement, emotion regulation, cognitive function, and decision-making tendencies. SES has life span influence, which correlates with the level of cognition, rate of cognitive decline, and incidence of Alzheimer's disease among elderly individuals. Besides the individual level of SES, neighborhood SES can also affect cognitive function as an environmental factor. Low-SES individuals exhibit hypoactivation of the executive network and hyperactivation of the reward network, indicating low-SES individuals tend to focus more on monetary issues, while neglecting other non-monetary issues, which is consistent with the scarcity hypothesis.

Enhancing the Follow-up Assessment of Very Preterm Children with Regard to 5-Year IQ Considering Socioeconomic Status

BACKGROUND

Specifying peri- and postnatal factors in children born very preterm (VPT) that affect later outcome helps to improve long-term treatment.

AIM

To enhance the predictability of 5-year cognitive outcome by perinatal, 2-year developmental and socio-economic data.

SUBJECTS AND OUTCOME MEASURES

92 VPT infants, born 2007-2009, gestational age<32 weeks and/or birthweight of 1500 g, were assessed longitudinally including basic neonatal, socio-economic (SES), 2-year Mental Developmental Index (MDI, Bayley Scales II), 5-year Mental Processing Composite (MPC, Kaufman-Assessment Battery for Children), and Language Screening for Preschoolers data. 5-year infants born VPT were compared to 34 term controls.

RESULTS

The IQ of 5-year infants born VPT was 10 points lower than that of term controls and influenced independently by preterm birth and SES. MDI, SES, birth weight and birth complications explained 48% of the variance of the MPC. The MDI proved highly predictive (r=0.6, R2=36%) for MPC but tended to underestimate the cognitive outcome. A total of 61% of the 2-year infants born VPT were already correctly classified (specificity of .93, sensitivity of .54). CHAID decision tree technique identified SES as decisive for the outcome for infants born VPT with medium MDI results (76-91): They benefit from effects associated to a higher SES, while those with a poor MDI outcome and a birth weight≤890 g do not.

CONCLUSION

Developmental follow-up of preterm children enhances the quality of prognosis and later outcome when differentially considering perinatal risks and SES.

Effect of Schistosoma haematobium infection on the cognitive functions of preschool age children and benefits of treatment from an endemic area in Zimbabwe

Background

Schistosomiasis is known to affect the cognitive functions of children, however, but there is paucity of information on its impact on early childhood development in developing countries where the disease is endemic. This study aimed at determining the effects of schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma haematobium on early childhood development in children below 5 years old from Murewa District, Zimbabwe, including the benefits of treatment.

Methods

Preschool age children (PSAC) under the age of 5 years were screened at baseline and at 6 months post-treatment for S. haematobium infections diagnosed using the urine filtration method. Cognitive domains were assessed using the Griffith Mental Developmental Scales III on 136 PSAC. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the level of association between S. haematobium infection and performance in the cognitive domains adjusting for confounding factors (i.e. nutrition, hemoglobin levels, gender and age). Median Development Quotient scores of each cognitive domain at baseline and at 6 months post-treatment were compared and quantified.

Results

After adjusting for confounding factors, PSAC infected with S. haematobium had greater odds of having lower scores in the Foundation of Learning Domain (OR = 3.9, p = 0.008), Language and Communication Domain (OR = 3.2, p = 0.017), Eye-Hand Coordination Domains (OR = 10.7, p = 0.001), Personal-Social-Emotional Domain (19.3, p = 0.001) and in the Overall General Development Domain (7.2, p = 0.011). Improvement of cognitive performance was observed at 6 months post treatment in the following Domains; Language and Communication Domain (p = 0.003), Eye-Hand Coordination Domain (p = 0.02) and General Development Domain (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

The study showed that S. haematobium infection in PSAC is associated with lower cognitive scores in the Foundation of Learning, Language and Communication, Eye-Hand Coordination, Personal-Social-Emotional and in the Overall General Development domains. Our results strengthen the call for inclusion of PSAC in routine deworming programs for the control of urinary schistosomiasis and the need to develop locally validated tools to monitor early child development in endemic areas where resources are limited.

Executive functions as mediators between socioeconomic status and academic performance in Chinese school-aged children☆

Background

It is well-documented that socioeconomic status (SES) and academic performance in school-aged children are closely related. However, little is known about how the three core executive functions (EFs), inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, mediate the association between the two. Moreover, most previous studies examined SES disparities in Western countries, how such disparities in EF and academic performance manifest in the Chinese context, where a distinctive EF profile and learning experience are observed, remains uncertain. The current study explored: (1) the mediating effects of the three core EFs in the association between SES and academic performance; and (2) the differences in EF and academic performance in three core subjects between Chinese children who are below and above the poverty line.

Methods

Of the 385 students sampled, 205 are in the low-SES group and 180 are in the middle-high SES group.

Results

A structural equation model showed that the SES-academic performance relationship was fully mediated by cognitive flexibility and working memory but not inhibition. Working memory was a much stronger mediator than cognitive flexibility, suggesting that working memory may correlate with childhood SES and academic performance in Chinese children. An analysis of covariance suggested that compared to the middle-high SES group, the low-SES group demonstrated poorer working memory and academic performance in all three subjects after controlling for age and IQ. Interestingly, children with low-SES were found to have better cognitive flexibility than children with middle-high SES.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that interventions targeting working memory may be an important area to improve children's academic performance.

•

This study examined (1) the mediating effects of executive function in the association between socioeconomic status and academic performance; and (2) the differences in executive function and academic performance in three core subjects between Chinese children who are below and above the poverty line.

•

Both socioeconomic status groups exhibited differences in cognitive flexibility, working memory, and academic performance in all three core subjects.

•

The socioeconomic status-achievement relationship was mediated by cognitive flexibility and working memory but not inhibition. Working memory was a stronger mediator than cognitive flexibility in explaining academic performance.

Socioeconomic and genomic roots of verbal ability from current evidence

This research examines how the human genome and SES jointly and interactively shape verbal ability among youth in the U.S. The youth are aged 12-18 when the study starts. The research draws on findings from the latest GWAS as well as a rich set of longitudinal SES measures at individual, family and neighborhood levels from Add Health (N = 7194). Both SES and genome measures predict verbal ability well separately and jointly. More interestingly, the inclusion of both sets of predictors in the same model corrects for about 20% upward bias in the effect of the education PGS, and implies that about 20-30% of the effects of parental SES are not environmental, but parentally genomic. The three incremental R²s that measure the relative contributions of the two PGSs, the genomic component in parental SES, and the environmental component in parental SES are estimated to be about 1.5%, 1.5%, and 7.8%, respectively. The total environmental R² and the total genomic R² are, thus, 7.8% and 3%, respectively. These findings confirm the importance of SES environment and also pose challenges to traditional social-science research. Not only does an individual's genome have an important direct influence on verbal ability, parental genomes also influence verbal ability through parental SES. The decades-long blueprint of including SES in a model and interpreting their effects as those of SES needs to be amended accordingly. A straightforward solution is to routinely collect DNA data for large social-science studies granted that the primary purpose is to understand social and environmental influences.

Mediators of the Relation of Family Income with Adolescent Behavior Problems and Cognitive Achievement: Material Hardship, Parent Distress and Parent Support

Structural equation modeling (SEM) with longitudinal survey data was used to test a proposed developmental model of the association of family income (with children aged 6-9) to parent behaviors (for children at 10 years of age) and adolescent cognitive achievement and behavior problems (at age 15). Data from the Child Development Supplement (CDS) and Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) provided a representative US sample (n = 953). The SEM measurement model of parent behaviors showed two robust latent variables representing parent distress (based on two measures) and parent support (composed of four measures of parent investment, cognitive stimulation, emotional warmth, and educational expectations for the child). The SEM structural model indicated that the relation between average family income between 1998 and 2001 for young children (ages 6-9) and adolescent cognitive achievement and behavior problems in 2007 (age 15) was almost entirely mediated by parent distress, parent support and material hardship, all measured in 2002. Results suggested that the structural model was strongest (RMSEA = .08) when all three mediating variables were included. These results provide a clearer picture of the developmental mechanisms by which family income becomes associated with adolescent cognitive achievement and behavior problems over time.

The Influence of Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Processing Speed on the Psychological Adjustment and Wellbeing of Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors

Simple Summary

Processing speed (PS) is one of the most impaired functions in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs) and it has been linked to difficulties in their psychological functioning, together with other non-insult-related risk factors, such as socio-economic status (SES). Given the psychological adjustment difficulties observed in PBTS, the aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between SES and psychological functioning, measured with the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and considering the contribution of PS as a mediator. The results demonstrated that the influence of SES on the CBCL total index was mediated by PS. Furthermore, PS was found to have a mediating effect on the SES–internalizing problems relationship but not on the SES–externalizing problems relationship. These findings suggest that PS may be a rehabilitation target to prevent psychological distress and should be addressed, especially for PBTSs who live in a disadvantaged situation.

Abstract

(1) Background: The relationship between processing speed (PS) and psychological adjustment in the healthy population is well established, as is that between low socio-economic status (SES) and psychological distress. While PS is one of the most impaired functions in pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs), previous research has demonstrated that low SES may be a predictor of increased psychosocial risk in PBTSs. Given the psychological adjustment difficulties observed in PBTS, in the current study we aimed to explore the relationship between SES and psychological functioning, considering the contribution of PS as a mediator. (2) Methods: demographic and clinical data of 80 children (age range: 4–17 y.o.) were retrospectively collected. Psychological measures were the parent-compiled versions of the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mediation analysis models were performed on psychological measures with and without the inclusion of covariates. (3) Results: The influence of SES on the CBCL total index was mediated by PS. Furthermore, PS was found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between SES and internalizing problems but not on the relationship between SES and externalizing problems. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that PS may be a rehabilitation target for the prevention of psychological distress and should be addressed especially for PBTSs who live in a disadvantaged situation.

Socioeconomic gradients in child development: Evidence from a Chilean longitudinal study 2010-2017

Empirical evidence shows that lack of resources during infancy and the process of accumulating disadvantages throughout childhood have important consequences for cognitive and socio-emotional development. This paper examines socioeconomic gradients across language and socio-emotional measures. Using longitudinal data from 7-year, three-wave panel data, we study the patterns of socioeconomic status and child development in Chile and estimate how much of the wealth gap can be explained by different mediators like maternal educational and skills, child attendance of preschool and school, possession of books, or domestic violence indicators. We show that there are strong associations between household wealth and child development, and that, as the child grows, the gap between the most extreme quintiles of the distribution, both in cognitive and socio-emotional skills, persists but decreases in magnitude. Taking advantage of the longitudinal nature of the data, we calculate a permanent skill for each child and each skill dimension in this 7-year period. The analysis for the permanent component shows that wealth gaps are important to determine language, but not socio-emotional skills, and that the gap is larger for girls than for boys in the early childhood period. While mediators account for some of the associations, there is still a large socioeconomic gap that persists in receptive language among children. The most important factors that mediate the wealth gaps are inherited from maternal characteristics. By understanding the dynamism of social and cognitive vulnerability experienced during childhood and employing longitudinal data and methods, this study contributes to and extends the existing literature on socioeconomic gaps and child development in the Latin American context.

The multiple mediators of early differences in academic abilities by parental financial resources in Germany

This paper examines the mediators of differences in academic abilities by parental income and wealth among pre-schoolers in Germany. Families' investment, parental stress and parenting, neighbourhood effects, and parents' educational norms and aspirations are considered as mediators. Unlike most existing studies, we explicitly consider the interdependence of these mediators and, therefore, apply sequential joint mediation analysis. We find that children in income-poor households score up to 0.34 standard deviations lower and children in households with a negative net worth up to 0.24 standard deviations lower in tests of academic ability, even when controlling for a comprehensive set of other familial characteristics. All mediators together explain on average 47% of the differences by income, but only 17% of the wealth differences. Parental investment is the most important mediator, followed by neighbourhood effects. Parental Stress, mother-child interaction quality, and educational norms and aspirations seem to be less relevant as mediators.

The impact of unconditional cash and food assistance on contraceptive expenditure of rural households in Coastal Bangladesh: Evidence from fuzzy RDD

This study investigates the impact of unconditional cash and food (UCF) assistance on the monthly contraceptive expenditure of rural households in coastal Bangladesh using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design (RDD). Eligibility for UCF assistance was based on the running variable of land ownership in acres. We used eligibility as an instrumental variable to estimate the local average treatment effect of UCF assistance on contraceptive expenditures. The results show that UCF assistance results in increases in monthly contraceptive expenditures.

Developmental cascades and educational attainment

Developmental cascades describe how systems of development interact and influence one another to shape human development across the lifespan. Despite its popularity, developmental cascades are commonly used to understand the developmental course of psychopathology, typically in the context of risk and resilience. Whether this framework can be useful for studying children's educational outcomes remains underexplored. Therefore, in this chapter, we provide an overview of how developmental cascades can be used to study children's academic development, with a particular focus on the biological, cognitive, and contextual pathways to educational attainment. We also provide a summary of contemporary statistical methods and highlight existing data sets that can be used to test developmental cascade models of educational attainment from birth through adulthood. We conclude the chapter by discussing the challenges of this research and explore important future directions of using developmental cascades to understand educational attainment.

Association between socioeconomic status and academic performance in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with lower academic achievement; however, this relationship is understudied in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study examined the relationship between SES and academic performance in children and adolescents with CKD.

METHODS

A total of 377 participants aged 6-18 years with CKD stages 1-5 (n = 199), on dialysis (n = 43) or with a kidney transplant (n = 135) were recruited. Five SES measures and a composite SES index were examined for associations with parent-rated average or above average academic performance in numeracy and literacy using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Participants' median age was 12.6 years (IQR 8.9-15.5). Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) (95%CI) for better performance in numeracy and literacy, respectively, were 0.71 (0.44-1.15) and 0.75 (0.45-1.23) for children whose caregivers had lower educational attainment; 0.46 (0.26-0.80) and 0.53 (0.30-0.93) for lower household income; 0.52 (0.32-0.85) and 0.44 (0.26-0.73) for caregivers who were unemployed; 0.68 (0.41-1.12) and 0.59 (0.35-1.00) for caregivers with poor self-rated financial status; and 0.93 (0.53-1.64) and 1.00 (0.56-1.79) for caregivers who did not own their own home. Compared with the highest SES index quartile, the aORs for better performance by SES quartile in descending order were 1.24 (0.60-2.54), 0.76 (0.37-1.58), and 0.39 (0.18-0.86) for numeracy and 0.88 (0.41-1.85), 0.77 (0.35-1.66), and 0.32 (0.14-0.72) for literacy. No interactions were identified between SES and CKD stage, child age, or gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Across all CKD stages, children from lower SES families are less likely to perform well in literacy and numeracy than those from higher SES households. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Impact on Executive Dysfunctions of Gamification and Nongamification in Playing Board Games in Children at Risk of Social Exclusion

Objective: Modern board and card game-based cognitive interventions and gamification practices showed effectiveness in boosting executive functions and decreasing behavioral problems in children. However, the combination of both game-based methods has not been tested. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of gamification in modern board and card game-based cognitive interventions in Spanish schoolchildren at risk of social exclusion. Materials and Methods: In this multicenter single-blind study with a quasi-experimental design, 176 schoolers (6-13 years old) were assigned to a gamified group (with a narrative context and a rewarding system) and 107 to a nongamified group (with no narrative context or rewarding system). The interventions were implemented in regular classes. Behavioral executive dysfunction was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Revision (BRIEF-2) (Teacher form), pre- and postintervention. Results: We found significant time effects in all BRIEF-2 domains with small and medium effect sizes (d = -0.35 to d = -0.62). The nongamified group showed significantly higher decreases in all measures than those who used gamification. Conclusions: It is possible that playing for the joy of playing in the nongamified group was enough motivation to focus on the task, while adding gamification elements did not favor greater effectiveness of the program.

Early language screening and intervention can be delivered successfully at scale: evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

It is well established that oral language skills provide a critical foundation for formal education. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme in ameliorating language difficulties in the first year of school when delivered at scale.

METHODS

We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 193 primary schools (containing 238 Reception classrooms). Schools were randomly allocated to either a 20-week oral language intervention or a business-as-usual control group. All classes (N = 5,879 children) in participating schools were screened by school staff using an automated App to assess children's oral language skills. Screening identified 1,173 children as eligible for language intervention: schools containing 571 of these children were allocated to the control group and 569 to the intervention group.

RESULTS

Children receiving the NELI programme made significantly larger gains than the business-as-usual control group on a latent variable reflecting standardized measures of language ability (d = .26) and on the school-administered automated assessment of receptive and expressive language skills (d = .32). The effects of intervention did not vary as a function of home language background or gender.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of a school-based language intervention programme (NELI) delivered at scale. These findings demonstrate that language difficulties can be identified by school-based testing and ameliorated by a TA delivered intervention; this has important implications for educational and social policy.

Association of maternal body mass index with intellectual disability risk

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to investigate the association between maternal body mass index (BMI) in early pregnancy and children's intellectual disability (ID) risk in the absence of chromosomal disorders, neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis, taking adverse birth outcomes, maternal hypertension/diabetes and maternal socioeconomic status into consideration.

METHODS

We conducted a cohort study of singletons without common genetic defects born in Sweden during 1992-2006, and followed them from birth until 31 December 2014 (n=1 186 836). Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyse the association between maternal BMI in early pregnancy and the risk of offspring's ID.

RESULTS

The risk of ID was higher in children born to mothers who were underweight (HR=1.21, 95% CI=1.07 to 1.36), overweight (HR=1.28, 95% CI=1.21 to 1.34) or had obesity class I (HR=1.63, 95% CI=1.53 to 1.74), obesity class II (HR=2.08, 95% CI=1.88 to 2.30) and obesity class III (HR=2.31, 95% CI=1.46 to 3.65) than in children born to normal weight mothers. Results remained consistent after excluding children with adverse birth outcome or born to mothers with gestational hypertension/diabetes. Analysis stratified by maternal education and annual household income showed that the association between maternal underweight and children's ID risk was attenuated among children of mothers with tertiary education or with high income.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that maternal underweight or overweight/obesity in early pregnancy was associated with the development of ID in their offspring. This association was independent of the effect of adverse birth outcomes and maternal hypertension/diabetes. High socioeconomic status may attenuate the risk of ID among children of underweight mothers. This study highlights the importance of improving health education before conception to reduce children's ID risk.

Family Income Level, Variability, and Trend as Predictors of Child Achievement and Behavior

Recent decades have seen increases in the variability of family income, tepid income growth rates for all but the richest families, and widening income inequality. These trends are concerning for child well-being, given the importance of income to parental investments and parenting practices. Growing evidence suggests that a high level of change is disruptive to family processes and that chronic stress affects physiology as well as psychology. This study used the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement to estimate associations between three dimensions of childhood income dynamics-level, variability, and trend-and child achievement and behavior. After income level was controlled for, income variability during childhood was not associated with child achievement or behavior, but an increasing five-year trend in income-to-needs was modestly beneficial to behavior measures. Subgroup analysis suggests some adverse effects of income variability and trend on reading and behavior for non-White children but no clear patterns by child's age or family income or wealth levels.

Socioeconomic status, home mathematics environment and math achievement in kindergarten: A mediation analysis

Growing evidence suggests that parents' practices contribute to their children's cognitive development and that such practices may reflect SES disparities. This study investigated longitudinal interrelations between home mathematics environment (HME), children's math achievement, and two facets of SES (mother's educational attainment and household income-subsidy status) during the first year in kindergarten (n = 500 children; M_{age at T1} = 57.3 months, SD = 3.8). Results revealed that these facets of SES operated through different mechanisms in kindergarten-the association between mothers' education and math growth at the end of K1 is fully mediated by HME and children's baseline math knowledge. Furthermore, only home math activities that explicitly supported the understanding of addition and subtraction contributed to children's math growth independently of SES background. The pattern of longitudinal associations suggests that the provision of home math activities may reflect children's mathematical abilities rather than SES disparities.

Childhood Socioeconomic Status Does Not Predict Late-Life Cognitive Decline in the 1936 Lothian Birth Cohort

This study examined childhood socioeconomic status (SES) as a predictor of later life cognitive decline. Data came from 519 participants in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936) study. SES measures at 11 years of age included parental educational attainment, father's occupational status, household characteristics and a composite measure of global childhood SES (i.e., a total of low SES childhood indicators). Cognitive abilities were assessed by the Mini-Mental State Exam at ages 69.8, 72.8 and 76.7 years. Most indicators of low childhood SES (i.e., father manual worker, less than secondary school father education, household overcrowding, exterior located toilet, and global childhood SES) did not predict cognitive decline between the ages of 69.8 and 76.7. Participants with less educated mothers showed an increase in cognitive decline (β = -0.132, p = 0.048, and CI = -0.80, -0.00). The relationship between maternal educational attainment and cognitive decline became non-significant when controlling for adult SES (i.e., participant educational attainment and occupation). Adult SES did not mediate the latter relationship. This study provides new evidence that childhood SES alone is not strongly associated with cognitive decline. New knowledge is critical to improving population health by identifying life span stages in which interventions might be effective in preventing cognitive decline.

Below the Tip of the Iceberg: Examining Early Childhood Participation in SNAP and TANF from Birth to Age Six

In the United States, the SNAP and TANF programs provide financial support to low-income households with children. Yet, little is known about the extent of this support over the early childhood period or how program participation varies by race (or ethnicity) and metropolitan county residence. We use administrative data from Virginia to document participation in SNAP and TANF among children born between 2007 and 2010 during their early childhood period, which we define here as birth to age six. We find that participation in SNAP is about four times greater than participation in TANF and that most children begin their connection with the social welfare system in their birth year. Children who participate earlier in life tend to stay connected over a longer portion of the early childhood period, although SNAP participation peaks around ages 3–4 while TANF peaks earlier, around ages 2–3. Most households on SNAP do not receive TANF, but only about 1 in 12 children on TANF do not receive SNAP. Finally, over the early childhood period, on average, just under 1 in 2 children in Virginia participated in SNAP or TANF but demography plays an important role in this process: The level of cumulative receipt is 1 in 4 among White children, 1 in 2 among Hispanic children but rises to 3 in 4 for Black children; cumulative receipt is also higher in nonmetropolitan counties than metropolitan counties. This study documents the reach of the existing social welfare system during the early childhood period, underlining the importance of race and space in twenty-first century America.

Developmental delay among children under two years of age in slums of Burdwan Municipality: A cross-sectional study

Context:

Development is an ongoing process through which an individual acquires competence to function adequately. Developmental delay is said to occur when a child fails to reach the age-appropriate anticipated milestones. This imparts long-term direct as well as indirect effects on the health of a community obviating routine measurement of its prevalence especially in high-risk populations.

Aim:

To find out the prevalence and correlates of developmental delay among children under two years of age in slums of Burdwan Municipality, West Bengal.

Settings and Design:

A community-based descriptive cross-sectional study.

Methods and Materials:

This study was conducted between September-November 2019 among 240 study subjects selected by multistage simple random sampling. Data were collected by interviewing the respondents using a predesigned, pretested schedule. Developmental status was assessed by applying Trivandrum Developmental Screening Chart (TDSC). Chi-square test and logistic regression was done to find associations.

Results:

Prevalence of developmental delay was 6.6%(95%CI 3.6-9.8) and proportion was more among male infants. Chi square test revealed gender (p = 0.03), mothers' education (p = 0.00), socio-economic status (p = 0.00), parity (p = 0.02), birth spacing (p = 0.01) birth weight (p = 0.00) to be significantly associated with developmental delay and multivariable analysis showed all the factors to be significant predictors except gender, parity and birth spacing. Gestational duration, maternal age at delivery, mode of delivery was not found to be significantly associated with developmental delay.

Conclusion:

Developmental delay is considerably high in the study area. A larger study using appropriate tool and follow-up may elicit the burden and associated determinants.

Prepregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain affect the offspring neurobehavioral development at one year of age

OBJECTIVE

Recent data show that maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with offspring neurobehavior in childhood. However, little is known about the effect on infants that less than 20 months of age, and whether this association has sex differences.

METHODS

In this birth cohort study, a total of 661 mother-infant pairs were enrolled in Shanghai, China, between February 2017 and April 2019. Maternal prepregnancy BMI was categorized according to the Chinese classification and GWG according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM). Neurobehavioral development for infants of 12 months of age was assessed by Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS), which contained five subscales of gross motor, fine motor, adaptive behavior, language, and social behavior.

RESULTS

Abnormal maternal prepregnancy BMI and excessive GWG were associated with infant birth weight and/or birth length (p < .05), while no influence was found on yearling weight or length. Women who were overweight/obese prior to pregnancy or excessive GWG during pregnancy had infants who were more deficient in neurobehavioral developmental including language (p < .01) and/or social behavior (p < .05). Specifically, excessive GWG was associated with lower language ability in girls but not boys (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Aberrant prepregnancy BMI and excessive GWG not only affect the body size of newborn infants, but also impair their neurobehavioral development, suggesting that general guidance to the women should be advised to attain optimal prepregnancy BMI and GWG.

Prevalence of intellectual disability among eight-year-old children from selected communities in the United States, 2014

BACKGROUND

Children with intellectual disability (ID), characterized by impairments in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, benefit from early identification and access to services. Previous U.S. estimates used administrative data or parent report with limited information for demographic subgroups.

OBJECTIVE

Using empiric measures we examined ID characteristics among 8-year-old children and estimated prevalence by sex, race/ethnicity, geographic area and socioeconomic status (SES) area indicators.

METHODS

We analyzed data for 8-year-old children in 9 geographic areas participating in the 2014 Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. Children with ID were identified through record review of IQ test data. Census and American Community Survey data were used to estimate the denominator.

RESULTS

Overall, 11.8 per 1,000 (1.2%) had ID (IQ ≤ 70), of whom 39% (n = 998) also had autism spectrum disorder. Among children with ID, 1,823 had adaptive behavior test scores for which 64% were characterized as impaired. ID prevalence per 1,000 was 15.8 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 15.0-16.5) among males and 7.7 (95% CI, 7.2-8.2) among females. ID prevalence was 17.7 (95% CI, 16.6-18.9) among children who were non-Hispanic black; 12.0 (95% CI, 11.1-13.0), among Hispanic; 8.6 (95% CI, 7.1-10.4), among non-Hispanic Asian; and 8.0 (95% CI, 7.5-8.6), among non-Hispanic white. Prevalence varied across geographic areas and was inversely associated with SES.

CONCLUSIONS

ID prevalence varied substantively among racial, ethnic, geographic, and SES groups. Results can inform strategies to enhance identification and improve access to services particularly for children who are minorities or living in areas with lower SES.

Improving Parent-Child Interactions in Pediatric Health Care: A Two-Site Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Heterogeneity in risk among low-income families suggests the need for tiered interventions to prevent disparities in school readiness. Smart Beginnings (SB) integrates two interventions: Video Interaction Project (VIP) (birth to 3 years), delivered universally to low-income families in pediatric primary care, and Family Check-Up (6 months to 3 years), targeted home visiting for families with additional family risks. Our objective was to assess initial SB impacts on parent-child activities and interactions at 6 months, reflecting early VIP exposure.

METHODS

Two-site randomized controlled trial in New York City (84% Latinx) and Pittsburgh (81% Black), with postpartum enrollment and random assignment to treatment (SB) or control. At 6 months, we assessed parent-child interactions through surveys (StimQ, Parenting Your Baby) and observation (video-recorded play, coded by using Parent-Child Interaction Rating Scales - Infant Adaptation).

RESULTS

A total of 403 families were enrolled at child's birth (201 treatment) with 362 (89.8%) assessed at 6 months. Treatment families had increased StimQ, including total score (Cohen's d = 0.28; P < .001) and domains reflecting reading (d = 0.23; P = .02) and teaching (d = 0.25; P = .01), and Parent-Child Interaction Rating Scales - Infant Adaptation, including a cognitive stimulation factor (d = 0.40; P < .001) and domains reflecting support for cognitive development (d = 0.36; P < .001), and language quantity (0.40; P < .001) and quality (d = 0.37; P < .001). Thus, significant effects emerged across a broad sample by using varied methodologies.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings replicate and extend previous VIP findings across samples and assessment methodologies. Examining subsequent assessments will determine impacts and feasibility of the full SB model, including potential additive impacts of Family Check-Up for families at elevated risk.

Adolescents' relative position in school and educational attainment: The mediating role of educational expectations

This study examines whether and how adolescents' relative deprivation in school is associated with their years of education by incorporating the social comparison perspective into the Wisconsin status attainment model. Using Waves 1, 2, and 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), this study finds that adolescents who are positioned at the bottom of the economic hierarchy in school are likely to have up to one less year of education, compared to their counterparts positioned at the top of the hierarchy, when holding other variables constant. Also, by using causal mediation analyses, I find that educational expectations account for more than 20% of the relationship between adolescents' relative deprivation and educational attainment. The sensitivity analyses are conducted to examine how robust the main findings are to the violation of the assumption used in this study. These results provide evidence showing that adolescents' educational outcomes do not only depend on their material resources but also on their relative standing in the economic hierarchy.

The codevelopment of internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and cognitive ability across childhood and adolescence

Cognitive ability, externalizing symptoms, and internalizing symptoms are correlated in children. However, it is not known why they combine in the general child population over time. To address this, we used data on 17,318 children participating in the UK Millennium Cohort Study and followed-up five times between ages 3 and 14 years. We fitted three parallel-process latent growth curve models to identify the parallel unfolding of children's trajectories of internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and cognitive ability across this period. We also examined the effects of time-invariant (ethnicity, birth weight, maternal education and age at birth, and breastfeeding status) and time-varying covariates (maternal psychological distress and socioeconomic disadvantage) on the growth parameters of the trajectories. The results showed that the intercepts of the trajectories of cognitive ability and, particularly, externalizing symptoms were inversely correlated. Their linear slopes were also inversely correlated, suggesting parallel development. Internalizing symptoms were correlated positively with externalizing symptoms and inversely (and more modestly) with cognitive ability at baseline, but the slope of internalizing symptoms correlated (positively) only with the slope of externalizing symptoms. The covariates predicted 9% to 41% of the variance in the intercepts and slopes of all domains, suggesting they are important common risk factors. Overall, it appears that externalizing symptoms develop in parallel with both cognitive ability and internalizing symptoms from early childhood through to middle adolescence. Children on an increasing trajectory of externalizing symptoms are likely both increasing in internalizing symptoms and decreasing in cognitive skills as well, and are thus an important group to target for intervention.

A Systematic Overview of Meta-Analyses on Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Ability, and Achievement: The Need to Focus on Specific Pathways

Meta-analyses on the relation between socioeconomic status (SES) and performance on measures of cognitive ability and achievement arrive at the same general conclusion of a small to medium association. Advancements in methods make possible for meta-analyses to examine specific pathways linking SES to cognitive ability and achievement, as well as the moderators of these pathways. In this study, we conducted a systematic overview of meta-analyses on SES to address three research questions: 1) what is the direction and overall strength of association between SES and performance on measures of cognitive ability and achievement, and how precise are the effect sizes reported? 2) to what extent have meta-analyses examined moderation by components of SES, age, sex, and race/ethnicity? and 3) to what extent have meta-analyses examined mechanisms linking SES to cognitive ability and achievement? We conducted a systematic search using online archives (i.e., PsycINFO, ERIC, PubMed, Sociological Abstracts, and Web of Science), searching issues in Psychological Bulletin and Review of Educational Research, and examining references and citations. We identified 14 meta-analyses published between 1982 and 2019. These meta-analyses consistently reported positive associations of small to medium magnitude, indicating that SES is a meaningful contributor to the development of cognitive ability and achievement. Fewer meta-analyses reported evidence of moderation by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. None of the meta-analyses directly examined mechanisms, but provided evidence of possible mechanisms for future research. We suggest that meta-analyses can increase their contribution to future research, interventions, and policy by narrowing their focus on specific pathways.

Positive Economic, Psychosocial, and Physiological Ecologies Predict Brain Structure and Cognitive Performance in 9-10-Year-Old Children

While low socioeconomic status (SES) introduces risk for developmental outcomes among children, there are an array of proximal processes that determine the ecologies and thus the lived experiences of children. This study examined interrelations between 22 proximal measures in the economic, psychosocial, physiological, and perinatal ecologies of children, in association with brain structure and cognitive performance in a diverse sample of 8,158 9-10-year-old children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. SES was measured by the income-to-needs ratio (INR), a measure used by federal poverty guidelines. Within the ABCD study, in what is one of the largest and most diverse cohorts of children studied in the United States, we replicate associations of low SES with lower total cortical surface area and worse cognitive performance. Associations between low SES (<200% INR) and measures of development showed the steepest increases with INR, with apparent increases still visible beyond the level of economic disadvantage in the range of 200-400% INR. Notably, we found three latent factors encompassing positive ecologies for children across the areas of economic, psychosocial, physiological, and perinatal well-being in association with better cognitive performance and the higher total cortical surface area beyond the effects of SES. Specifically, latent factors encompassing youth perceived social support and perinatal well-being were positive predictors of developmental measures for all children, regardless of SES. Further, we found a general latent factor that explained relationships between 20 of the proximal measures and encompassed a joint ecology of higher social and economic resources relative to low adversity across psychosocial, physiological, and perinatal domains. The association between the resource-to-adversity latent factor and cognitive performance was moderated by SES, such that for children in higher SES households, cognitive performance progressively increased with these latent factor scores, while for lower SES, cognitive performance increased only among children with the highest latent factor scores. Our findings suggest that both positive ecologies of increased access to resources and lower adversity are mutually critical for promoting better cognitive development in children from low SES households. Our findings inform future studies aiming to examine positive factors that influence healthier development in children.

Pre-hurricane linkages between poverty, families, and migration among Puerto Rican-origin children living in Puerto Rico and the United States

Puerto Rican children comprise a historically vulnerable group that has garnered little attention from academics and policy makers. Then, Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the already impoverished island of Puerto Rico in 2017. It is imperative to understand the demographic, social, and economic patterns of Puerto Ricans in the past decade, in order to assess the true impact of the destructive 2017 hurricanes on Puerto Rican children and their families, and identify ways to address current population needs. This study fills this gap in the literature by providing recent pre-hurricane socioeconomic outcomes of Puerto Rican-origin children in Puerto Rico and the United States. It applies an origin-destination framework by relying on American Community Survey and Puerto Rico Community Survey data from 2012 to 2016. The analyses consider the linkages among family migration experiences, children's living arrangements, and household poverty levels. The findings are evaluated regarding prior research.

Children’s Language Skills Can Be Improved: Lessons From Psychological Science for Educational Policy

Oral language is crucial for social interaction and for learning in the classroom; it also provides the foundation for reading comprehension. It follows that children with language difficulties are at high risk of educational failure. Recently, a number of studies have demonstrated that it is possible to produce small but significant improvements in children’s oral language through targeted language interventions ( d = 0.16) and, furthermore, that studies with high-quality implementation show larger effects ( d = 0.24). There is also evidence that effects of language intervention can generalize to produce improvements in reading comprehension. Although further research examining the long-term effects of language interventions are needed, current findings have important implications for educational policy and practice.