Development of children’s motivational orientations from ages 4 to 9 : stability and changes of motivational profiles before school-age as a function of early language skills

This dissertation aims to contribute to our understanding of the developmental patterns of motivational orientations in young children and how these patterns are associated with language skills. Motivation research has traditionally concentrated on school-age children. Thus, less is known about motivation and its development before school, even though the links between motivation and learning skills have been found to exist among young children. The first general aim of this dissertation is to theoretically enlarge and deepen our understanding of motivation and its structure, stability, and association with language skills before a child enters school. Methodologically, the second general aim is to develop methods to capture and analyze the development of 4–6-year-old children’s motivational orientations. Third, empirically the intention was to identify the developmental associations between preschoolers’ motivational orientations, pre-reading skills, and children’s task-specific interest by using multisource perspectives. These ethods allow us to evaluate children’s behavior in adult-guided learning situations in a day-care center, along with the associations of those behaviors with the children’s task-specific interests and language skills. On a practical level, by analyzing motivation and its association with language skills, the fourth general aim of this dissertation is to explore and promote professional development in early education by identifying children’s developmental strengths and the risk factors related to their learning trajectories. To achieve these general aims, this work comprises four empirical studies. The studies rely on the data from two research projects: The Promo research project includes assessment data from 130 children aged 4, 5, and 6, 82 of which were followed until the third grade (The Promo-research project, 2007–2013). The data included, for instance, teacher evaluations of the children’s motivational orientations, standardized tests of the children’s language skills, and self- and parental evaluations of the children’s task-specific interests.The second longitudinal data were based on the 1-year Bunny Stories intervention study that analyzed listening comprehension (The Bunny Stories Intervention Study, 2011–2013). The sample comprised 4–5-year-old children (N = 22), and both teacher evaluations of the children’s motivation and video observations of the children’s behaviors during the intervention were used. First, to test the factor structure and stability of motivation, a Child Behavior and Motivation Rating scale was developed and examined in Study I. The latent confirmatory factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution consistent with the theoretical dimensions of task orientation, task-avoidance, and social dependence orientation. The results also indicated the tested model had sufficient measurement invariance across the participants’ ages (4, 5, and 6 years of age). The analyses showed moderate stability in task orientation and task-avoidance orientation from 4–6 years old. These results contribute to previous studies on motivation by showing that differentiation in motivational orientations can be observed by the age of 4, and those behavioral differences have a tendency to stay as the child grows older. In the second study, children’s motivation was studied using a person-centered approach to identify motivational profiles groups of children with similar motivational tendencies. Three groups of children with distinctive motivational orientation profiles—task-oriented, undifferentiated, and task-avoidance—were identified using latent profile and latent transition analyses. The motivational profiles were relatively stable across all studied ages. Further, the children’s probability of belonging to a certain group was based on their previous task orientation. In addition, when children between the ages of 4 and 6 showed an increase in language comprehension skills, their probability of belonging to a task-oriented profile group increased (Study II). In addition, children who belonged to a task-avoidance profile group at age 6 showed less task orientation and more of a task-avoidance orientation in the third grade than children with a task-oriented profile at age 6. Study III focused to examine and demonstrate the development of 4–5-year-old children’s motivational orientations during Bunny Stories program. The development of motivation was measured using both teacher ratings and four video observations in the context of reading sessions. The observation categories included on-task behavior, off-task behavior, and undifferentiated on-task behavior. The results of the teachers’ perceptions showed that task orientation developmentally increased. In addition, the observations showed that the children progressively displayed on-task orientation, while undifferentiated task and off-task orientation decreased during the intervention program. Finally, in Study IV, the purpose was to examine the role of pre-reading skills in children’s development of motivational orientations and task-specific interest in reading-related and play-like activities at day-care settings and at home. Based on reading precursors (i.e. phonological awareness and letter knowledge) and language comprehension skills (i.e. listening comprehension and vocabulary knowledge), the children with low pre-reading skills showed higher social dependence orientation and lower task orientation over time than children with high pre-reading skills. In Study IV, the children with high pre-reading skills showed the largest increase in their interest in reading-related activities from ages 4 to 6, and interestingly, the children with average pre-reading skills continued to be the most interested in play-like activities. In addition, the parents whose children had high pre-reading skills perceived that their children showed the most interest in reading-related activities, while the parents whose children had low pre-reading skills perceived that their children showed the most interest in play-like activities at home. The findings indicate that early reading precursors and language comprehension skills are linked to hildren’s motivation in day-care and to their interest in academic and play-like tasks in day-care and home contexts. To conclude, the results of these four studies indicate that motivational orientations play a role in the ways that young children approach and master learning tasks. Children’s motivational orientations were observed to diverge already by the age of 4. A dominating task-avoidance orientation and increased social dependence orientation tend to intensify existing learning difficulties and risk for academic exclusion, whereas a dominating task orientation fostered children’s progressive learning trajectory. The findings emphasize the importance of recognizing the strengths and weaknesses in young children’s motivational tendencies and preferences and in the academic resources children use. To optimally support young children’s motivation and learning skills, it should take into account children’s perspective and interests in the task at hand, as well as the teacher’s and parents’ perceptions in different contexts.Motivaation suuntautumisen kehittyminen 4–9-vuotiailla lapsilla. Kielellisten valmiuksien merkitys lasten motivaatioprofiilien pysyvyyteen ja muutoksiin ennen kouluikää Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastellaan pienten lasten motivaatiota, sen rakennetta, pysyvyyttä ja yhteyttä kielellisten taitojen kehittymiseen. Motivaation on havaittu olevan yhteydessä oppimisen valmiuksiin ja taitoihin, mutta motivaatiotutkimus on perinteisesti keskittynyt kouluikäisiin ja alle kouluikäisten lasten motivaatiosta tiedetään vähemmän. Tämän väitöskirjan tavoitteena on teoreettisesti ja empiirisesti laajentaa ymmärrystämme motivaatiosta, sen kehityksestä ja yhteydestä kielellisiin valmiuksiin jo ennen kouluikää. Menetelmällisesti tavoitteena on kehittää arviointivälineitä pienten lasten motivaation analysointiin ja sen kehitykselliseen tarkasteluun. Arviointivälineiden avulla voidaan arvioida tehtävään suuntautumisen yhteyttä lapsen kiinnostuksenkohteisiin sekä kielellisiin taitoihin, ja ne ottavat huomioon sekä lasten kanssa työskentelevien aikuisten havainnot että lasten omat käsitykset toiminnastaan päiväkodissa ja vanhempien havainnot lapsista kotona. Väitöstyön käytännön tavoitteena on edistää varhaiskasvattajien ammatillista kehittymistä tunnistaa lapsen oppimiseen ja motivaatioon liittyviä vahvuuksia ja tuen mahdollisia tarpeita. Tavoitteiden saavuttamiseksi tässä väitöstutkimuksessa toteutettiin neljä tutkimusta (artikkelit I, II, II ja IV) kahdessa eri tutkimusprojektissa. Promo-tutkimusprojektin (Promo-projekti, 2007–2013) tutkimusaineisto koostui 130 lapsesta, joita on arvioitu 4:n, 5:n ja 6 vuoden iässä. Lapsista 82 seurattiin 3. luokalle asti. Tutkimusaineistona ovat opettajien arviot lasten motivationaalisista orientaatioista, lasten itsearviot ja vanhempien arviot lasten kiinnostuksen kohteista päiväkodissa ja kotona, sekä testisarjoilla arvioidut lasten kielelliset taidot. Jänistarinat-tutkimusprojektin (Jänistarinat-projekti, 2011–2013) tutkimusaineisto koostui 22:sta 4—5-vuotiaasta lapsesta, joiden tehtävämotivaatiota arviointiin opettaja-arvioinneilla ja video-observoinneilla yhden vuoden kestävän kuullun ymmärtämisen taitojen kehittymistä tukevan ohjelman aikana. Ensimmäisessä osatutkimuksessa (artikkeli I, Promo-projekti) arvioitiin lasten motivaation rakennetta ja pysyvyyttä päiväkodissa 4—6-vuoden iässä tutkimusta varten kehitetyllä (CBeMo) menetelmällä. Teoreettisesti perusteltu ja konfirmatorisen faktorianalyysin tulosten tukema kolmifaktorinen rakenne tehtäväsuuntautuneisuudesta, välttämissuuntautuneisuudesta ja sosiaalisesta riippuvuussuuntautuneisuudesta kuvasi parhaiten lasten motivaation rakennetta ja sen toistuvuutta kolmen vuoden ajan. Tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus ilmensi lapsen sitkeyttä, itsenäistä haasteiden ottamista ja itseohjautuvuudelle ominaista oman toiminnan suunnittelua ja pohdintaa päiväkodin askartelu- ja toimintatilanteissa. Välttämissuuntautuneisuus kuvasi lapsen negatiivisia tunteita, oman suoriutumisen moittimista ja oheis- ja/tai sijaistoimintaa. Sosiaalista riippuvuussuuntautuneisuutta ilmensi lapsen ulkoisen vihjeen ja suoritusmallin noudattaminen, esimerkiksi jäljittely, takertuminen toveriin ja/tai aikuiseen ja välitön avun pyytäminen toverilta. Lasten tehtävä- ja välttämissuuntautuneisuus olivat tulosten mukaan kohtuullisen pysyviä taipumuksia jo 4–6 ikävuoden iässä. Tulosten perusteella lasten toiminta päiväkodin tehtävätilanteissa eriytyy havaittujen motivaatioulottuvuuksien suhteen jo 4-vuotiailla ja erot lasten välillä näyttävät säilyvän kehityksellisessä tarkastelussa. Toisessa osatutkimuksessa (artikkeli II, Promo-projekti) lasten motivaatioperustaa tutkittiin yksilöllisestä näkökulmasta. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin, että lapset voitiin jakaa kolmeen erilaiseen ryhmään heidän tehtävätilanteissa havaittujen motivaatioprofiiliensa perusteella. Nämä alaryhmät nimettiin tehtäväorientoituneen, eriytymättömän ja tehtävää välttelevän profiilin otivaatioryhmiksi. Lapsista 58 % motivaatioprofiili pysyi samanlaisena neljästä ikävuodesta kuuteen ikävuoteen. Huomionarvoista oli neljän vuoden iässä arvioidun tehtäväsuuntautuneisuuden merkitys tehtäväorientoituneeseen ryhmään kuulumisessa yli ajan; mitä korkeammaksi opettajat olivat arvioineet lasten tehtäväsuuntautuneisuuden neljän vuoden iässä, sitä suuremmalla todennäköisyydellä he kuuluivat tehtäväorientoituneiden ryhmään myöhemmin. Ne lapset, jotka kuuluivat tehtävää välttelevien ryhmään kuusivuotiaana, osoittivat 3. luokalla vähemmän tehtäväsuuntautuneisuutta ja enemmän välttämissuuntautuneisuutta kuin tehtäväorientoituneet lapset kuusivuotiaana. Kolmannessa osatutkimuksessa (artikkeli III, Jänistarinat-projekti) lasten tehtäväsuuntautuneisuutta tarkasteltiin opettajien arvioinnin lisäksi video-observoimalla lapsiparin toimintaa Jänistarinat-ohjelman aikana. Video-observointi pohjautui tehtäväsuuntautuneisuuden, eriytymättömän tehtäväsuuntautuneisuuden ja ei-tehtäväsuuntautuneisuuden motivaatioulottuvuuksiin ja niitä vastaaviin käyttäytymisiin. Opettajien arvioima tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus kehittyi positiivisesti ja tilastollisesti merkitsevästi Jänistarinat-ohjelmaan osallistuneilla lapsilla. Video-observointeihin perustuvat tulokset osoittivat myös, että ohjelman toteutuksen myötä lasten tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus lisääntyi ja eriytymätön tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus sekä ei-tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus vähenivät. Neljännessä osatutkimuksessa (artikkeli IV, Promo-projekti) tutkittiin yhteyksiä pienten lasten motivaation, heidän kiinnostuksen kohteidensa (päiväkodissa ja kotona) sekä heidän lukemisvalmiuksiensa ja ymmärtämistaitojensa välillä. Lapset, joiden lukemisvalmiudet (kirjaintieto ja fonologiset taidot) ja ymmärtämistaidot (kuullun ymmärtäminen ja sanavarasto) arvioitiin heikoiksi, osoittivat korkeampaa sosiaalista riippuvuussuuntautuneisuutta ja alhaisempaa tehtäväsuuntautuneisuutta kuin lapset, joiden lukemisvalmiudet ja ymmärtämistaidot olivat hyvät 4–6 vuoden iässä. Vastaavasti mitä paremmat lasten kielen ymmärtämistaidot (ohjeiden ymmärtäminen) olivat 4–6-vuotiaina, sitä suuremmalla todennäköisyydellä he kuuluivat tehtäväorientoituneiden ryhmään (ks. artikkeli II). Lisäksi havaittiin, että mitä korkeammat lasten lukemisvalmiudet ja ymmärtämistaidot olivat 4–6-vuoden iässä, sitä kiinnostuneimpia he olivat lukemiseen liittyvistä tehtävistä, kun taas lapset, joiden lukemisvalmiudet ja ymmärtämistaidot olivat keskivertoisia, olivat ennemmin kiinnostuneita toiminnallisista leikeistä. Vanhempien arviot lasten kiinnostuksen kohteista ovat samansuuntaisia edellä olevan kanssa siltä osin: mitä taitavammat lukemisvalmiudet ja ymmärtämistaidot lapsella oli, sitä kiinnostuneempi lapsi oli vanhempien mukaan lukemiseen liittyvistä tehtävistä myös kotona, ja mitä heikommat lapsen lukemisvalmiudet ja ymmärtämistaidot olivat, sitä vahvemmin vanhempi arvioi hänen olevan kiinnostunut leikeistä. Tulokset osoittavat, että varhaiset lukemisen valmiudet ja ymmärtämisen taidot ovat yhteydessä motivaation kehittymiseen päiväkodissa sekä lapsen kiinnostuksen kohteisiin eri ympäristöissä, nostavat esille myös leikin merkityksen kielellisesti heikompia lasten motivaation kannalta. Neljä osatutkimusta osoittavat, että alle kouluikäisillä voidaan havaita erilaisia oppimismotivaatiotaipumuksia jo päiväkodin ohjatuissa tehtävätilanteissa. Motivaation kehityksellinen eriytyminen havaittiin alkavan jo neljän vuoden iässä. Hallitseva lapsen välttämissuuntautuneisuus ja lisääntynyt sosiaalinen riippuvuussuuntautuneisuus ovat yhteydessä lapsen alhaisiin kielellisiin taitoihin ja heikompaan lukemisen kiinnostukseen. Hallitseva tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus on yhteydessä vahvempiin kielellisiin taitoihin ja myös kiinnostukseen lukemistehtävistä. Tehtäväsuuntautuneisuus on olennaista pienten lasten oppimisen kannalta. Siksi lasten motivaation havainnointi eri tehtävätilanteissa jo ennen esiopetusikää on oppimistutkimuksen ja lapsen yksilöllisen ohjaamisen kannalta tärkeää

Work-Related Well-Being Profiles among Health Education Teachers

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the well-being of Finnish health education teachers (n = 108) by examining the latent profiles of work burnout and work engagement by using a person-centered approach. Additionally, this study explored to what extent different job and personal resources (social support, pedagogical self-efficacy, and social belonging) and job demands (work overload) are associated with teachers' belonging to the work-related well-being profiles. The Job Demands-Resources model was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The study found that three different work-related well-being profiles could be identified among health education teachers: those who were engaged (45%), those who were already experiencing burnout (43%), and those at risk of burnout (12%). The more demands the teachers experienced, the likelier they were to belong to the burnout profile. Experiences of pedagogical self-efficacy, social belonging, and social support increased the probability of belonging to the engaged profile group. Determining job and personal resources and job demands might be beneficial for health education teacher well-being.</p

The emergence of cereal fungal diseases and the incidence of leaf spot diseases in Finland

Fungal plant pathogens causing cereal diseases in Finland have been studied by a literature survey, and a field survey of cereal leaf spot diseases conducted in 2009. Fifty-seven cereal fungal diseases have been identified in Finland. The first available references on different cereal fungal pathogens were published in 1868 and the most recent reports are on the emergence of Ramularia collo-cygni and Fusarium langsethiae in 2001. The incidence of cereal leaf spot diseases has increased during the last 40 years. Based on the field survey done in 2009 in Finland, Pyrenophora teres was present in 86%, Cochliobolus sativus in 90% and Rhynchosporium secalis in 52% of the investigated barley fields. Mycosphaerella graminicola was identified for the first time in Finnish spring wheat fields, being present in 6% of the studied fields. Stagonospora nodorum was present in 98% and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis in 94% of spring wheat fields. Oat fields had the fewest fungal diseases. Pyrenophora chaetomioides was present in 63% and Cochliobolus sativus in 25% of the oat fields studied

The role of pre-reading skills in the development of task orientation and interest in reading and play from preschool to kindergarten

This study evaluated 130 Finnish-speaking children’s pre-reading skills, teacher-rated task orientation, and self-rated interest in adult-given tasks, reading, and play activities in their day care. In addition, parents rated their children’s interest in reading and play activities at home. Five groups of children with different pre-reading skills were identified during preschool and kindergarten: high, above-average, developers, below-average, and low. The results showed that children with low pre-reading skills displayed lower task orientation than did the four other groups in adult-guided learning situations in day care. Children’s self-rated interest in adult-given tasks, reading, and play activities in day care did not differ across time despite clear differences in pre-reading skills. The parent ratings revealed differences in the children’s interest in reading activities at home. Children with low pre-reading skills were also the least interested in reading. The results demonstrate that pre-reading skills are associated with adults’ perceptions of children’s task orientation and interest but not with children’s own ratings of their interest in day care. The results highlight the need to pay increasing attention to the ways in which the social environment in day care and at home can best capture and take account of children’s interest in activities and to provide high-quality early support for each child’s motivation and learning

Voisivatko robotit vahvistaa hoivakodeissa asuvien vanhojen ihmisten autonomiaa? - Tulevaisuusorientoitunut tutkimus

There is an urge to introduce high technology and robotics in care settings. Assisted living (AL) is the fastest growing form of older adults’ long-term care. Resident autonomy has become the watchword for good care. This article sheds light on the potential effects of care robotics on the sense of autonomy of older people in AL. Three aspects of the residents’ sense of autonomy are of particular interest: (a) interaction-based sense of autonomy, (b) coping-based sense of autonomy, and (c) potential-based sense of autonomy. Ethnographical data on resident autonomy in an AL facility and existing literature on care robots are utilized in studying what kind of assurances different types of robots would provide to maintain the sense of autonomy in AL. Robots could strengthen the different types of sense of autonomy in multiple ways. Different types of robots could widen the residents’ space of daily movements, sustain their capacities, and help them maintain and even create future expectations. Robots may strengthen the sense of autonomy of older persons in AL; however, they may simultaneously pose a threat. Multi-professional discussions are needed on whether robots are welcomed in care, and if they are, how, for whom, and in what areas.There is an urge to introduce high technology and robotics in care settings. Assisted living (AL) is the fastest growing form of older adults’ long-term care. Resident autonomy has become the watchword for good care. This article sheds light on the potential effects of care robotics on the sense of autonomy of older people in AL. Three aspects of the residents’ sense of autonomy are of particular interest: (a) interaction-based sense of autonomy, (b) coping-based sense of autonomy, and (c) potential-based sense of autonomy. Ethnographical data on resident autonomy in an AL facility and existing literature on care robots are utilized in studying what kind of assurances different types of robots would provide to maintain the sense of autonomy in AL. Robots could strengthen the different types of sense of autonomy in multiple ways. Different types of robots could widen the residents’ space of daily movements, sustain their capacities, and help them maintain and even create future expectations. Robots may strengthen the sense of autonomy of older persons in AL; however, they may simultaneously pose a threat. Multi-professional discussions are needed on whether robots are welcomed in care, and if they are, how, for whom, and in what areas.Peer reviewe

Environmental enrichment may alter the number of rats needed to achieve statistical significance

Currently, environmental enrichment studies have focused on detection of differences in group means resulting from varied enrichments. The effects of enrichment procedures on variation and hence on study results have received far less attention. Within group variation in studies is directly related to adequate sample size and thus determines ethically correct number of animals to be used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of enrichment items on clinical chemistryand physiological parameters of Wistar rats with the emphasis on the extent of variation. Fortyeight weaned female and male outbred Wistar rats from eight different litters were housed for five weeks in groups of four rats per cage with anaspen tube (20x12x12 em), an aspen block (6x6x6 cm) or without enrichment items (control animals). At the end of the study, adrenals and brown adipose tissues were weighed, growth calculated from initial and final body weights and thefollowing assays were performed from serum samples: AFOS, ALAT, ASAT, LDH, GGT, Pi, Ca, cholesterol, triglycerides, ereatinine, total bilirubin, protein and corticosterone. Based on the variation detected, SOLO Power Analysis was used to calculate the smallest number of animals required (n) to detect an arbitrarily chosen 20 % difference in all means, when significance was set at p=0.05 and statistical power at 0.90. Based on the n-values, additional N-ratio (nenrichment / ncontrol) was calculated to indicate, how many times more or less animals were needed in the enrichment group in comparison to the control group. The enrichment items did not have effects on group means. However. they seemed to influence the variation and hence on the number of animals needed, with enzyme parameters being the most sensitive in this respect. This relationship between enrichment, variation and number of animals needed should be kept in mind while designing experiments with ethically correct sample size

The role of pre-reading skills in the development of task orientation and interest in reading and play from preschool to kindergarten

This study evaluated 130 Finnish-speaking children’s pre-reading skills, teacher-rated task orientation, and self-rated interest in adult-given tasks, reading, and play activities in their day care. In addition, parents rated their children’s interest in reading and play activities at home. Five groups of children with different pre-reading skills were identified during preschool and kindergarten: high, above-average, developers, below-average, and low. The results showed that children with low pre-reading skills displayed lower task orientation than did the four other groups in adult-guided learning situations in day care. Children’s self-rated interest in adult-given tasks, reading, and play activities in day care did not differ across time despite clear differences in pre-reading skills. The parent ratings revealed differences in the children’s interest in reading activities at home. Children with low pre-reading skills were also the least interested in reading. The results demonstrate that pre-reading skills are associated with adults’ perceptions of children’s task orientation and interest but not with children’s own ratings of their interest in day care. The results highlight the need to pay increasing attention to the ways in which the social environment in day care and at home can best capture and take account of children’s interest in activities and to provide high-quality early support for each child’s motivation and learning.</p

Differentiation of Murine C2C12 Myoblasts Strongly Reduces the Effects of Myostatin on Intracellular Signaling

Alongside in vivo models, a simpler and more mechanistic approach is required to study the effects of myostatin on skeletal muscle because myostatin is an important negative regulator of muscle size. In this study, myostatin was administered to murine (C2C12) and human (CHQ) myoblasts and myotubes. Canonical and noncanonical signaling downstream to myostatin, related ligands, and their receptor were analyzed. The effects of tumorkines were analyzed after coculture of C2C12 and colon cancer-C26 cells. The effects of myostatin on canonical and noncanonical signaling were strongly reduced in C2C12 cells after differentiation. This may be explained by increased follistatin, an endogenous blocker of myostatin and altered expression of activin receptor ligands. In contrast, CHQ cells were equally responsive to myostatin, and follistatin remained unaltered. Both myostatin administration and the coculture stimulated pathways associated with inflammation, especially in C2C12 cells. In conclusion, the effects of myostatin on intracellular signaling may be cell line- or organism-specific, and C2C12 myotubes seem to be a nonoptimal in vitro model for investigating the effects of myostatin on canonical and noncanonical signaling in skeletal muscle. This may be due to altered expression of activin receptor ligands and their regulators during muscle cell differentiation.Peer reviewe

Childhood socioeconomic status and lifetime health behaviors : The Young Finns Study

Background: Differences in health behaviors partly explain the socioeconomic gap in cardiovascular health. We prospectively examined the association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle factors in adulthood, and the difference of lifestyle factors according to childhood SES in multiple time points from childhood to adulthood. Methods and results: The sample comprised 3453 participants aged 3-18 years at baseline (1980) from the longitudinal Young Finns Study. The participants were followed up for 31 years (N = 1675-1930). SES in childhood was characterized as reported annual family income and classified on an 8-point scale. Diet, smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity were used as adult and life course lifestyle factors. Higher childhood SES predicted a healthier diet in adulthood in terms of lower consumption of meat (beta +/- SE -3.6 +/- 0.99, p <0.001), higher consumption of fish (1.1 +/- 0.5, p = 0.04) and higher diet score (0.14 +/- 0.044, p = 0.01). Childhood SES was also directly associated with physical activity index (0.059 +/- 0.023, p = 0.009) and inversely with the risk of being a smoker (RR 0.90 95%CI 0.85-0.95, p <0.001) and the amount of pack years (-0.47 +/- 0.18, p = 0.01). Life course level of smoking was significantly higher and physical activity index lower among those below the median childhood SES when compared with those above the median SES. Conclusions: These results show that childhood SES associates with several lifestyle factors 31 years later in adulthood. Therefore, attention could be paid to lifestyle behaviors of children of low SES families to promote cardiovascular health. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe