A recent study by Schoon, Jones, Cheng and Maughan based on data from the UK Millennium Cohort sought to assess the impact of income poverty, family instability and cognitive development in early childhood. The report commences with the observation that “Early cognitive development is a crucial indicator of developmental health, as it is associated with later educational and occupational attainment as well as health and well-being. What happens to children early in their lives is critical for their future development.”

The researchers found that income poverty has a “strong and significant negative effect” on the cognitive functioning of children at the age of 5 years. Persistent, cumulative poverty and exposure to hardship in the first year of life have a “detrimental effect on cognitive functioning”. The effect of poverty appears to be strong on verbal as opposed to non-verbal skills.

Various factors associated with poverty shaped the association between poverty and cognitive development. Housing conditions, especially overcrowding, present a significant risk factor undermining children’s cognitive attainment. On the other hand, family structure and family instability did not have any significant association with cognitive ability.

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View the report “Family hardship, family instability, and cognitive development”.