Analysis of Early Predictors of Analysis of Early Predictors of Educational Inequalities in the Educational Inequalities in the

Joint Child Health Project Cohort Joint Child Health Project Cohort MauritiusMauritius

Unicef 13.10.14Unicef 13.10.14Christian Morabito – Christian Morabito – GhentGhent UniversityUniversity

Questions to be examinedQuestions to be examined1.1. Are inequalities in early cognitive development Are inequalities in early cognitive development

associated with post-natal conditions, before associated with post-natal conditions, before entrance into primary schooling?entrance into primary schooling?

2.2. Is the association between early factors and Is the association between early factors and cognitive development still relevant at a later age, cognitive development still relevant at a later age, namely at the end of primary school cycle, with namely at the end of primary school cycle, with differences actually increasing over time?differences actually increasing over time?

3.3. Are inequalities in school performances associated, Are inequalities in school performances associated, in their turn, with early factors and cognitive in their turn, with early factors and cognitive development?development?

The literature shows that :The literature shows that :• Educational inequalities are substantially associated

with post-natal conditions, which are found before the child enters the school system

• Work in neuro-sciences outline that the first three years of life are a sensitive period for cognitive development

• Inequalities tend to increase through age

• There are similar findings in developing countries

Crucial to observe inequalities’ dynamics throughout age in a single dataset

The JCHPThe JCHP• The Child Health Project analyzes a cohort of 1,795 children

born in 1969-70 in two large towns of Mauritius. Data have been collected since 1972 by investigators and teachers at ages 3, 8, 11, 17, 23, 28, 35 and 40, on a number of risk factors

• The aim was to analyze predictors of psychopathologies at an early age, such as socio-economic and demographic family status, along with malnutrition, cognitive development and psychophysiological status

The JCHPThe JCHP• Principal Investigators:

Fini Schulsinger – University of Copenhagen

Sarnoff Mednick – University of Southern California

Peter Venables – University of York

Adrian Raine PI – University of Pennsylvania

Susan Elizabeth Luczak – University of Southern California

- Cyril Dalais – National Director Mauritius

• Partners:

MoE, MoH, Medical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust, WHO, Danish State Dep., DANIDA, NIH

Independent Variables collected in 1972 (Subjects age 3)Independent Variables collected in 1972 (Subjects age 3)Type Description

Sex, Ethnicity, Residence

SES of Parents N. years of schoolingEmployment level

Family Composition and Structure Child’s birth and siblings’ order and sibling’s sexPerson who looks after the child at homeChild both parents, single, orphan etc.

Housing Conditions Appearance of the houseN. of roomsN. of people per room

Child Nutrition & HealthMother’s Health

Malnutrition (PEM)Anaemia (haemoglobin)Serious illnessSerious illness during pregnancyProblems during deliveryChild Physical and Intellectual DevelopmentMother’s health conditions

Child Personality Traits Temperament during cognitive tests: cries, reaction to testing, sociability, activity level, sleeping during testing, and hygiene – condition of hands

Dependent Variables for Cognitive Development and Dependent Variables for Cognitive Development and School PerformancesSchool Performances

• Cognitive development has been assessed at age 3 using 6 subtests of the ‘Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Preschool Version’, and at age 11 by 7 subtests of the ‘Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children’. Raw scores of subscales for both tests were normalized and standardized. The two tests utilized are comparable.

• The Certificate of Primary Education is composed of four subjects: English, French, Mathematics and Environmental Studies. The Total CPE score ranks from 0 to 50 with 0 grade F (failure), 10 grade E, 20 grade D, 30 grade C, 40 grade B, 50 grade A.

Q1. Q1. PPredictors of cognitive dev. (age 3)redictors of cognitive dev. (age 3)

• Differences in cognitive development at age 3 are significantly associated with a number of factors at same age. Overall effect, F(25,1217)=7.192; p<.001; ηρ^2=.13

• Significant factors leading to poor cognitive:

Fathers having completed only primary education, not employed or with low skilled jobs; malnutrition; poor sociability and male sex

• Non significant factors are:

Mother’s education, child and mother health, family structures, home status, housing.

Q2 Q2 PPredictors at age 3 of cognitive redictors at age 3 of cognitive development at age 11development at age 11

• Association between early predictors and cognitive development is also found at age 11, measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Effect size is actually larger than at age 3, F(29,840)=10.684; p<.001; ηρ^2=.27

• Poor performance is associated with: Fathers having completed only primary education, not employed or with low skilled jobs; malnutrition; sociability and sleeping during testing;

Sex (favoring boys); and mother’s education and work is now significant.

• .

Cognitive level increased from age 3 to age 11Cognitive level increased from age 3 to age 11

• We observed that differences between cognitive development at age 3 and 11 are positive and are significantly associated with socio-economic status of parents (father and mother’s education and work);

• This confirms findings of similar studies conducted in developing countries, and underlines that inequalities in cognitive development over time are associated with poor parental status.

Q3 Q3 age 3 predictors of CPE age 11age 3 predictors of CPE age 11

• Findings highlight an overall significant association between CPE results, and early factors measured at age 3, with large effects, F(35,614)=9.788; p<.001; ηρ^2=.27

• Poorer performance is significantly associated with: Fathers and mother’s having completed only primary education, not employed or with low skilled jobs; malnutrition; sociability and sleeping during testing;

• It is not associated with :

Sex, ethnicity, housing (n. of people per room)

Significant correlation between WISC test and Certificate of Primary Significant correlation between WISC test and Certificate of Primary Education measured at age 11 with large effects Education measured at age 11 with large effects

(r=.65, N=1090, p<001). (r=.65, N=1090, p<001).

DiscussionDiscussion• Findings mostly corroborate outcomes of studies conducted

in developed countries and previous analyses carried out on the JCHP cohort. Divergences may be ascribed to the dissimilarity of the type of tests used and the data collected, and/or simply the specificity of the Mauritius context;

• Although there is a certain correspondence in the inequality’s dynamics between cognitive development tests and national examination scores - and a strong association is found between the two at age 11 – association cannot establish a causality path from early factors to school performance through cognitive development trends.

Further questions?Further questions?

Strengthen the evidence that inequalities arise already in early years, but leave the debate open about what intervention might actually better tackle educational disadvantage.:

- Possibly concentrate efforts in early years – that is before schooling - on both education and parents’ socio-economic conditions? PREVENSION

- Possibly change the structure of the schooling which at present undermines the capacity of education systems to accommodate children from poor families? RECOVERY

Thank YouThank You!!