Children with attention and behavior problems tend to receive less prestigious and quality education, make less money as adults, and have worse mental and physical health outcomes than children who do not show problems at an early age. University of Texas found. Study published magazine developmental psychology.
The authors decided to test the results of an old study that examined 1,000 children born in the early 1970s and followed them for the next three decades. The scientists did conceptual duplication – they tested the original work’s hypotheses using various scientific methods.
The authors analyzed data from more than 15,000 participants in the National Child Development Study followed up to age 42, as well as 1,168 participants born in 1991 and followed up to age 26 in the US Early Childhood Care and Youth Development Study. .
All participants completed questionnaires that included measures of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity at home and at school. Then, as adults, participants answered questions about various aspects of their lives, including education, career, finances, and physical and mental health.
The researchers analyzed the data and found that attention and behavior problems in childhood are associated with a wide variety of poor outcomes in all areas of life.