Children who showed larger spikes in activity by the end of the school day were found to have lower math and reading scores in school and fewer years of education as adults
Can your behavior in third grade predict outcomes in high school and beyond? A new study, published in Developmental Psychology, says yes.
Using longitudinal data tracking individuals from birth to adulthood, researchers found that third-graders who were more active and impulsive during the school day (indicators of lower self-control) were more likely to have lower academic achievement in elementary and high school, and fewer years of education as adults.
“Being in the classroom requires some degree of self-control. Children are expected to walk instead of run, keep their hands to themselves, and stay in their seats when the situation requires,” says the study’s lead author Andrew E. Koepp, assistant professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt. Applying this self-control takes effort and by the final ring of the school bell, children have been doing it for hours.”
“Our findings imply that, behaviorally speaking, most children tend to ‘lose it’ a bit by the end of the school day,” notes Koepp. “Interestingly, those who could ‘keep it together’ for longer tended to do better in school and were more likely to achieve educational success long-term.”
Researchers used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development for outcomes on a cohort born in 1991 whose data were collected from birth to the age of 26. They analyzed information for 747 individuals whose gross motor activity (e.g., running, jumping) was collected in third grade, measured by accelerometer devices worn daily around their waists for up to seven consecutive days.
“We focused on third grade because it marks a transition to middle childhood and greater independent control of behavior,” the authors note in the study.
To assess children’s self-regulation, the researchers evaluated activity levels in addition to teacher assessments regarding hyperactivity, academic achievement measured by math and reading scores, and self-reported data on the highest degree earned by age 26.
They found that children’s activity tended to increase as the school day progressed. However, third-graders who showed greater spikes in daily activity were rated as more impulsive and disruptive by teachers, had lower math and reading scores in elementary and high school, and completed fewer years of education as adults. Children with more self-control had higher math and reading scores and 20% greater odds of completing a four-year degree.
“We know that self-control helps children ignore distractions and focus on learning. Our findings imply that self-control is not just a personality trait, but something that can wear out and also perhaps something that could be restored,” says Koepp. “As a society, we should value activities like recess that could let children blow off some steam and potentially recover some of this self-control. It might even benefit their learning.”
This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (2045095) and the National Institutes of Health (P2CHD042849).
Journal
Developmental Psychology
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