Timing of puberty and reserve capacity in adolescence as pathways to educational level in adulthood—a longitudinal study

Abstract

Background: Family socioeconomic status (SES) is related to a child's educational success. Intermediate pathways for this relationship, such as through pubertal timing and reserve capacity, occur in adolescence. Aim: To study whether family SES affects a child's adult education through a psychosocial and behavioural pathway (reserve capacity) and/or a biological pathway (pubertal timing) or only through school achievement in adolescence. Subjects and methods: Finnish adolescents sampled in five cross-sectional surveys from 1985 to 1995 (n ¼ 37,876) were followed through the Registry of Completed Education and Degrees until 2009, when they were 29-43 years old. Family SES data also came from this registry. Structural equation modelling adjusted for ages at baseline and follow-up was used. Results: Low family SES increased the probability of low adult education, delayed pubertal timing (in boys), weak reserve capacity and low school achievement. Reserve capacity and school achievement directly affected adult education and mediated the relationship of family SES with the outcome. Delayed pubertal timing predicted low adult education, except when school achievement was added to the model. Conclusions: The results show that family SES affects the child's adult education level through psychosocial and biobehavioural pathways, but the biological pathway is mediated by school achievement.

Early-Life Risk Factors for Breast Cancer – Prospective Follow-up in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966

“…For example, lower SES during early life may have an association with earlier pubertal development, thus indirectly increasing the risk of breast cancer in adulthood (45,46). However, puberty timing of our study group was not known, and moreover, no association between family SES and menarche was found in a survey and register data of randomly selected subsample of Finns born between 1966 and 1980 (47).…”

Samen werken aan goed onderwijs

“…In doing so, they re-calibrate their relationships with adults, behave rebellious, but at the time show dependence, vulnerability, and sensitivity to criticism. These developments also affect their school performance 17 . Other studies point to the importance of the influence of relationships that students have, with friends, schoolmates, teachers and family 18 .…”

Depression, Anxiety, and Pubertal Timing: Current Research and Future Directions

“…57 Some environmental factors thought to affect pubertaltimingincludechronicpsychologicalstress,fatherabsence,andparentalconflict. 55,[60][61] Evidenceindicatesthatchildrenwholiveinlowsocioeconomic status (SES) households, particularly girls, experience earlier pubertal timing onaveragethantheirpeerswholiveinmiddleorhighSEShouseholds. 55,62,63 Furthermore,pubertaltimingseemstobeinfluencedbychildhooddiet.…”

“…55 Somestudiesuseself-reportofageatspermarche,orthe onsetofspermemission,asananalogouseventtoself-reportofageatmenarche, butresearchersdisagreeconcerningwhetherthisisareliableindicator. 50,60,89 Somearguethatthemostvalidindicatorofpubertalonsetinboysistesticular volume, 54 butthismeasurementcanbeperceivedasinvasive. 55 Second, subjective measures are also frequently used to measure pubertal timing, such as self-reports and parent reports.…”