Associations between child characteristics and higher secondary school level than indicated by Cito-test.

<p>Associations between child characteristics and higher secondary school level than indicated by Cito-test.</p

Health-Related Factors Associated with Discrepancies between Children’s Potential and Attained Secondary School Level: A Longitudinal Study

<div><p>Objectives</p><p>This longitudinal study examines children’s health-related characteristics in relation to discrepancies between their educational potential assessed by a cognitive test in primary school at age 11 and their attained secondary school level at age 14.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Data were used from 1510 participants of the Dutch PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy) birth cohort. Multiple multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the associations between indicators of physical health, psychosocial health, lifestyle, sleeping patterns and stressful life events and attending a higher or lower level of secondary education than indicated by the cognitive test.</p><p>Results</p><p>We found no evidence that physical health contributes to discrepancies between the potential and attained level of secondary education, but attention disorders and stressful life events (nasty experiences and parents’ divorce) were associated with educational attainment below children’s potential level. Furthermore, substance use (alcohol, drugs and smoking) were strongly associated with attending a lower level of secondary education than expected (odds ratios from 2.2 (CI: 1.5–3.3) to 5.0 (CI: 2.8–8.7)).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>In this general population study, attention disorders, stressful life events and especially substance use seemed to be more important than physical health for the discrepancy between expected and attained level of secondary education. The longitudinal design of the present study and the broad range of health-related factors that were studied, adds insights to the process of health-selection.</p></div

Sample characteristics.

<p>Sample characteristics.</p

Sample characteristics.

<p>Sample characteristics.</p

Associations between eczema, health related school absence and school level assessment, stratified by parental education^a.

<p>^a Adjusted for sex of the child.</p

Characteristics of the study population: original dataset versus imputed dataset.

<p>^a Data were not imputed for Cito Test Scores (n = 1,531).</p><p>Characteristics of the study population: original dataset versus imputed dataset.</p

Association between children’s health trajectories and school level assessment (n = 1,865) and Cito Test score (n = 1,531) (Z-scores).

<p>^a Adjusted for sex of the child</p><p>^b 95% confidence intervals of β</p><p>^c Parents reported health problems not more than once between age three to five years, and not more than once between age six to eleven (never in case of poor general health)</p><p>^d Parents reported health problems at least two out of three times between age three to five years (poor general health at least once between age three to six) and not more than once between age six to eleven (none for poor general health)</p><p>^e Parents reported health problems not more than once between age three to five years (none for poor general health), and at least two out of four times between age six to eleven (poor general health at least once between age seven to eleven)</p><p>^f Parents reported health problems at least two out of three times between age three to five and at least two out of four times between age six to eleven (poor general health at least once between age three to six and at least once between age seven to eleven).</p><p>Association between children’s health trajectories and school level assessment (n = 1,865) and Cito Test score (n = 1,531) (Z-scores).</p

Association of parental education and health indicators with Cito test score (Z-score) (n = 1,531)^a.

<p>^a Adjusted for the sex of the child</p><p>^b crude models, only adjusted for sex of the child</p><p>^c 95% confidence intervals of β.</p><p>Association of parental education and health indicators with Cito test score (Z-score) (n = 1,531)<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0134780#t004fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Association of parental education and health indicators with school level assessment (Z-score) (n = 1,865)^a.

<p>^a Adjusted for the sex of the child</p><p>^b crude models, only adjusted for sex of the child</p><p>^c 95% confidence intervals of β.</p><p>Association of parental education and health indicators with school level assessment (Z-score) (n = 1,865)<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0134780#t003fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Classification of secondary educational level according to Cito Test scores and Dutch secondary educational levels.

<p>^a International Standard Classification of Education by UNESCO (update 1997)</p><p>^b education lower than the regular school levels.</p><p>Classification of secondary educational level according to Cito Test scores and Dutch secondary educational levels.</p