Bowe Andrea K, Urban Mathias, Staines Anthony, Murray Deirdre M
INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
School of Language, Literacy & Early Childhood Education, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
Front Public Health. 2025 Mar 4;13:1341797. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1341797. eCollection 2025.
At age 5, while only embarking on their educational journey, substantial differences in children's cognitive ability will already exist. The aim of this study was to examine the causal association between below average cognitive ability at age 5 years and child-reported experience of school and self-concept, and teacher-reported class engagement and emotional-behavioural function at age 9 years.
This longitudinal cohort study used data from 7,392 children in the Growing Up in Ireland Infant Cohort, who had completed the Picture Similarities and Naming Vocabulary subtests of the British Abilities Scales at age 5. Principal components analysis was used to produce a composite general cognitive ability score for each child. Children with a general cognitive ability score more than 1 standard deviation (SD) below the mean at age 5 were categorised as 'Below Average Cognitive Ability' (BACA), and those scoring above this as 'Typical Cognitive Development' (TCD). The outcomes of interest, measured at age 9, were child-reported experience of school, child's self-concept, teacher-reported class engagement, and teacher-reported emotional behavioural function. Binary and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the association between BACA and these outcomes.
Compared to those with TCD, those with BACA had significantly higher odds of never liking school [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.82, 95% CI 1.37-2.43, < 0.001], of being picked on (AOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.48) and of picking on others (AOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.27-1.84). They had significantly higher odds of experiencing low self-concept (AOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.02-1.42) and emotional-behavioural difficulties (AOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.10-1.63, = 0.003). Compared to those with TCD, children with BACA had significantly higher odds of hardly ever or never being interested, motivated and excited to learn (AOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.70-3.10).
Children with BACA at school-entry had significantly higher odds of reporting a negative school experience and low self-concept at age 9. They had significantly higher odds of having teacher-reported poor class engagement and problematic emotional-behavioural function at age 9. The findings of this study suggest BACA has a causal role in these adverse outcomes. Early childhood policy and intervention design should be cognisant of the important role of cognitive ability in school and childhood outcomes.
5岁时，孩子们才刚刚踏上他们的教育之旅，但此时他们的认知能力就已存在显著差异。本研究的目的是探讨5岁时认知能力低于平均水平与9岁时儿童报告的学校经历和自我概念，以及教师报告的课堂参与度和情绪行为功能之间的因果关系。
这项纵向队列研究使用了来自爱尔兰成长队列中7392名儿童的数据，这些儿童在5岁时完成了英国能力量表的图片相似性和命名词汇子测试。主成分分析用于为每个孩子生成一个综合的一般认知能力分数。5岁时一般认知能力得分比平均水平低超过1个标准差（SD）的儿童被归类为“认知能力低于平均水平”（BACA），得分高于此的儿童被归类为“典型认知发展”（TCD）。9岁时测量的感兴趣的结果包括儿童报告的学校经历、儿童的自我概念、教师报告的课堂参与度和教师报告的情绪行为功能。二元和多项逻辑回归模型用于检验BACA与这些结果之间的关联。
与TCD儿童相比，BACA儿童从不喜欢上学的几率显著更高[调整后的优势比（AOR）为1.82，95%置信区间为1.37 - 2.43，<0.001]，被欺负的几率（AOR为1.27，95%置信区间为1.09 - 1.48）和欺负他人的几率（AOR为1.53，95%置信区间为1.27 - 1.84）也显著更高。他们经历低自我概念（AOR为1.20，95%置信区间为1.02 - 1.42）和情绪行为困难（AOR为1.34，95%置信区间为1.10 - 1.63，=0.003）的几率也显著更高。与TCD儿童相比，BACA儿童几乎从不或从不对学习感兴趣、有动力和感到兴奋的几率显著更高（AOR为2.29，95%置信区间为1.70 - 3.10）。
入学时认知能力低于平均水平的儿童在9岁时报告负面学校经历和低自我概念的几率显著更高。他们在9岁时教师报告的课堂参与度差和情绪行为功能有问题的几率也显著更高。本研究结果表明，认知能力低于平均水平在这些不良结果中起因果作用。幼儿政策和干预设计应认识到认知能力在学校和儿童发展结果中的重要作用。
