Search

Social causation and health-related selection may contribute to educational differences in adolescents' attention problems and externalizing behaviour. The social causation hypothesis posits that the social environment influences adolescents' mental health. Conversely, the health-related selection hypothesis proposes that poor mental health predicts lower educational attainment. From past studies it is unclear which of these mechanisms predominates, as attention problems and externalizing behaviour have the potential to interfere with educational attainment, but may also be affected by differences in the educational context. Furthermore, educational gradients in mental health may reflect the impact of 'third variables' already present in childhood, such as parental socioeconomic status (SES), and IQ. We investigated both hypotheses in relation to educational differences in externalizing behaviour and attention problems throughout adolescence and young adulthood. We used data from a Dutch cohort (TRAILS Study; n = 2229), including five measurements of educational level, externalizing behaviour, and attention problems from around age 14–26 years. First, we evaluated the directionality in longitudinal associations between education, externalizing behaviour, and attention problems with and without adjusting for individual differences using fixed effects. Second, we assessed the role of IQ and parental SES in relation to attention problems, externalizing behaviour, and educational level. Attention problems predicted decreases in education throughout all of adolescence and young adulthood. Differences in parental SES contributed to increases in externalizing behaviour amongst the lower educational tracks in mid-adolescence. Childhood IQ and parental SES strongly predicted education around age 14. Parental SES, but not IQ, also predicted early adolescent attention problems and externalizing behaviour. Our results provide support for the health-related selection hypothesis in relation to attention problems and educational attainment. Further, our results highlight the role of social causation from parental SES in determining adolescent educational level, attention problems, and externalizing behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both social causation and health-related selection may influence educational gradients in alcohol use in adolescence and young adulthood. The social causation theory implies that the social environment (e.g. at school) influences adolescents' drinking behaviour. Conversely, the health-related selection hypothesis posits that alcohol use (along other health-related characteristics) predicts lower educational attainment. From past studies it is unclear which of these mechanisms predominates, as drinking may be both a cause and consequence of low educational attainment. Furthermore, educational gradients in alcohol use may reflect the impact of 'third variables' already present in childhood, such as parental socioeconomic status (SES), effortful control, and IQ. We investigated social causation and health-related selection in the development of educational gradients in alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood in a selective educational system. We used data from a Dutch population-based cohort (TRAILS Study; n = 2,229), including measurements of educational level and drinking at ages around 14, 16, 19, 22, and 26 years (waves 2 to 6). First, we evaluated the directionality in longitudinal associations between education and drinking with cross-lagged panel models, with and without adjusting for pre-existing individual differences using fixed effects. Second, we assessed the role of childhood characteristics around age 11 (wave 1), i.e. IQ, effortful control, and parental SES, both as confounders in these associations, and as predictors of educational level and drinking around age 14 (wave 2). In fixed effects models, lower education around age 14 predicted increases in drinking around 16. From age 19 onward, we found a tendency towards opposite associations, with higher education predicting increases in alcohol use. Alcohol use was not associated with subsequent changes in education. Childhood characteristics strongly predicted education around age 14 and, to a lesser extent, early drinking. We mainly found evidence for the social causation theory in early adolescence, when lower education predicted increases in subsequent alcohol use. We found no evidence in support of the health-related selection hypothesis with respect to alcohol use. By determining initial educational level, childhood characteristics also predict subsequent trajectories in alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that smoking and lower educational attainment may have genetic influences in common. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which genetics contributes to educational inequalities in adolescent and young adult smoking. Common genetic liabilities may underlie cognitive skills associated with both smoking and education, such as IQ and effortful control, in line with indirect health-related selection explanations. Additionally, by affecting cognitive skills, genes may predict educational trajectories and hereby adolescents' social context, which may be associated with smoking, consistent with social causation explanations. Using data from the Dutch TRAILS Study (N = 1581), we estimated the extent to which polygenic scores (PGSs) for ever smoking regularly (PGS SMOK) and years of education (PGS EDU) predict IQ and effortful control, measured around age 11, and whether these cognitive skills then act as shared predictors of smoking and educational level around age 16, 19, 22, and 26. Second, we assessed if educational level mediated associations between PGSs and smoking. Both PGSs were associated with lower effortful control, and PGS EDU also with lower IQ. Lower IQ and effortful control, in turn, predicted having a lower educational level. However, neither of these cognitive skills were directly associated with smoking behaviour after controlling for covariates and PGSs. This suggests that IQ and effortful control are not shared predictors of smoking and education (i.e., no indirect health-related selection related to cognitive skills). Instead, PGS SMOK and PGS EDU , partly through their associations with lower cognitive skills, predicted selection into a lower educational track, which in turn was associated with more smoking, in line with social causation explanations. Our findings suggest that educational differences in the social context contribute to associations between genetic liabilities and educational inequalities in smoking. • Correlated genetic risk factors predict educational inequalities in smoking. • We studied the mechanisms linking genetics to educational differences in smoking. • Genes predicted cognitive skills in childhood, which predicted educational level. • A lower educational level in adolescence was in turn associated with more smoking. • The social context may drive associations between genetic liabilities and smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher family affluence is associated with healthier behaviours in adolescents, but the strength of this association varies across countries. Differences in social mobility at the country-level, i.e. the extent to which adolescents develop a different socioeconomic status (SES) than their parents, may partially explain why the association between family affluence and adolescent health behaviours is stronger in some countries than in others. Using data from adolescents aged 11–15 years from 32 countries, participating in the 2017/2018 wave of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (N = 185,086), we employed multilevel regression models with cross-level interactions to examine whether country-level social mobility moderates the association between family affluence and adolescent health behaviours (i.e. moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, vigorous physical activity, healthy and unhealthy foods consumption, having breakfast regularly, and weekly smoking). Higher family affluence was more strongly associated with higher levels of adolescent physical activity in countries characterized by high levels of social mobility. No cross-level interactions were found for any of the other health behaviours. Differences in social mobility at the country-level may contribute to cross-national variations in socioeconomic inequalities in adolescent physical activity. Further research can shed light on the mechanisms linking country-level social mobility to inequalities in adolescent physical activity to identify targets for policy and interventions. • Higher family affluence is associated with better health behaviours in adolescents. • We studied if this association differs depending on country-level social mobility. • Inequalities in physical activity were larger in more socially mobile countries. • No differences were found regarding any of the other health behaviours studied. • These included healthy/unhealthy foods consumed, having breakfast regularly, and smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Social causation and health-related selection may contribute to educational gradients in adolescents' attention problems (AP) and externalizing behaviour (EB). From past studies it is unclear which of these mechanisms predominates, as AP and EB have the potential to interfere with educational performance, but may also be affected by differences in the educational context. Furthermore, gradients in AP and EB may reflect confounding by stable background characteristics, which are often unmeasured (e.g. genetics). We investigated social causation and health-related selection in the development of educational differences in EB and AP. Methods We used data from a Dutch population-based cohort (TRAILS Study; n = 2,229), including measurements of educational level, EB, and AP at ages around 14, 16, 19, 22, and 26 years. We employed cross-lagged panel models with fixed effects. This novel method allowed to evaluate the directionality in longitudinal associations between education, EB, and AP, whilst simultaneously controlling for time-stable individual differences. Results AP, but not EB, consistently predicted decreases in subsequent educational level throughout all of adolescence and young adulthood. Regarding social causation, only lower education around age 14 predicted increases in AP around age 16, though this effect was not robust in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions AP interfere with educational performance and have the potential to negatively affect adolescents' educational attainment throughout all phases of adolescence and young adulthood. Key messages Interventions to address the impact of AP on education are necessary in all age groups. Hereby, it is important to take developmental differences into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of various crises on the public health of children and adolescents in Europe, including the COVID-19 pandemic, migration, global conflicts, energy shortage, and increased cost of living. These crises have worsened existing health issues and increased inequality among children. The article suggests several measures to mitigate the negative health effects of crises and promote the well-being of children and adolescents, such as preparedness, data collection for evidence-based actions, addressing health inequalities, advocacy, and community empowerment. The authors stress the importance of an integrated and long-term approach, as well as sustained funding, to support children's well-being and address their evolving needs. The article is an open-access publication from the Journal of Pediatrics, in collaboration with the Swiss School of Public Health and the Association of Schools of Public Health of the European Region, and is copyrighted by Frontiers. [Extracted from the article]