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Direct and indirect links between children’s socio-economic status and education: pathways via mental health, attitude, and cognition

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cam.issuedOnline2021-09-04
dc.contributor.authorDalmaijer, ES
dc.contributor.authorGibbons, SG
dc.contributor.authorBignardi, G
dc.contributor.authorAnwyl-Irvine, AL
dc.contributor.authorSiugzdaite, R
dc.contributor.authorSmith, TA
dc.contributor.authorUh, S
dc.contributor.authorJohnson, A
dc.contributor.authorAstle, DE
dc.contributor.orcidDalmaijer, ES [0000-0003-3241-0760]
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-21T23:30:24Z
dc.date.available2021-10-21T23:30:24Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstract<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>A child’s socio-economic environment can profoundly affect their development. While existing literature focusses on simplified metrics and pair-wise relations between few variables, we aimed to capture complex interrelationships between several relevant domains using a broad assessment of 519 children aged 7–9 years. Our analyses comprised three multivariate techniques that complimented each other, and worked at different levels of granularity. First, an exploratory factor analysis (principal component analysis followed by varimax rotation) revealed that our sample varied along continuous dimensions of cognition, attitude and mental health (from parallel analysis); with potentially emerging dimensions speed and socio-economic status (passed Kaiser’s criterion). Second, k-means cluster analysis showed that children did not group into discrete phenotypes. Third, a network analysis on the basis of bootstrapped partial correlations (confirmed by both cross-validated LASSO and multiple comparisons correction of binarised connection probabilities) uncovered how our developmental measures interconnected: educational outcomes (reading and maths fluency) were directly related to cognition (short-term memory, number sense, processing speed, inhibition). By contrast, mental health (anxiety and depression symptoms) and attitudes (conscientiousness, grit, growth mindset) showed indirect relationships with educational outcomes via cognition. Finally, socio-economic factors (neighbourhood deprivation, family affluence) related directly to educational outcomes, cognition, mental health, and even grit. In sum, cognition is a central cog through which mental health and attitude relate to educational outcomes. However, through direct relations with all components of developmental outcomes, socio-economic status acts as a great ‘unequaliser’.</jats:p>
dc.identifier.doi10.17863/CAM.77180
dc.identifier.eissn1936-4733
dc.identifier.issn1046-1310
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/329733
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.publisher.urlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02232-2
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectChild development
dc.subjectSocioeconomic status
dc.subjectNetwork analysis
dc.subjectCognitive ability
dc.subjectReading
dc.subjectMaths
dc.subjectAnxiety
dc.subjectDepression
dc.subjectGrit
dc.subjectGrowth mindset
dc.subjectPoverty
dc.titleDirect and indirect links between children’s socio-economic status and education: pathways via mental health, attitude, and cognition
dc.typeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2021-08-10
prism.publicationDate2021
prism.publicationNameCurrent Psychology
pubs.funder-project-idMRC (unknown)
pubs.funder-project-idMedical Research Council (MC_UU_00005/2)
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate2021-01-01
rioxxterms.licenseref.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Review
rioxxterms.versionVoR
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.1007/s12144-021-02232-2

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