Andrew McCulloch|Heather Joshi
Neighbourhood and family influences on the cognitive ability of children in the British National Child Development Study
University of Essex|Institute for Social and Economic Research
paper investigates association family poverty level deprivation electoral wards childrens cognitive test scores using data second generation 1991 sweep british national child development study 1958 birth cohort family poverty significant association lower test scores children ages 418 years neighbourhood poverty significant association lower test scores children aged 45 years though somewhat attenuated independent socioeconomic indicators among children aged 6 9 years association neighbourhood deprivation statistically accounted individual characteristics among children aged 10 18 years levels neighbourhood deprivation part statistically insignificant family povertytest score association among children aged 10 18 years mediated home environment mediated effects stronger family povertytest score associations neighbourhood poverty use neighbourhoodlevel exposure related social environment leads understanding social determinants childrens outcomes sum individual familylevel measures however size estimated effects neighbourhood conditions much smaller estimated effects familylevel conditions thus appears families still viewed key agents promoting positive development children