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Childhood cognitive ability and adult mental health in the British 1946 birth cohort

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  • Hatch, Stephani L.
  • Jones, Peter B.
  • Kuh, Diana
  • Hardy, Rebecca
  • Wadsworth, Michael E.J.
  • Richards, Marcus

Abstract

We examined whether childhood cognitive ability was associated with two mental health outcomes at age 53 years: the 28 item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) as a measure of internalising symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the CAGE screen for potential alcohol abuse as an externalising disorder. A total of 1875 participants were included from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, also known as the British 1946 birth cohort. The results indicated that higher childhood cognitive ability was associated with reporting fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression GHQ-28 scores in women, and increased risk of potential alcohol abuse in both men and women. Results were adjusted for educational attainment, early socioeconomic status (SES) and adverse circumstances, and adult SES, adverse circumstances, and negative health behaviours. After adjusting for childhood cognitive ability, greater educational attainment was associated with reporting greater symptoms of anxiety and depression on the GHQ-28. Although undoubtedly interrelated, our evidence on the diverging effects of childhood cognitive ability and educational attainment on anxiety and depression in mid-adulthood highlights the need for the two to be considered independently. While higher childhood cognitive ability is associated with fewer internalising symptoms of anxiety and depression in women, it places both men and women at higher risk for potential alcohol abuse. Further research is needed to examine possible psychosocial mechanisms that may be associated with both higher childhood cognitive ability and greater risk for alcohol abuse. In addition, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the gender-specific link between childhood cognitive ability and the risk of experiencing internalising disorders in mid-adulthood warrants further consideration.

Suggested Citation

  • Hatch, Stephani L. & Jones, Peter B. & Kuh, Diana & Hardy, Rebecca & Wadsworth, Michael E.J. & Richards, Marcus, 2007. "Childhood cognitive ability and adult mental health in the British 1946 birth cohort," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(11), pages 2285-2296, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:64:y:2007:i:11:p:2285-2296
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kuh, Diana & Hardy, Rebecca & Rodgers, Bryan & Wadsworth, Michael E. J., 2002. "Lifetime risk factors for women's psychological distress in midlife," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(11), pages 1957-1973, December.
    2. Guang Guo & Kathleen Harris, 2000. "The mechanisms mediating the effects of poverty on children’s intellectual development," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 37(4), pages 431-447, November.
    3. Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu & Marttunen, Mauri & Rantanen, Päivi & Rimpelä, Matti, 2003. "Early puberty is associated with mental health problems in middle adolescence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(6), pages 1055-1064, September.
    4. Wadsworth, M. E. J. & Butterworth, S. L. & Hardy, R. J. & Kuh, D. J. & Richards, M. & Langenberg, C. & Hilder, W. S. & Connor, M., 2003. "The life course prospective design: an example of benefits and problems associated with study longevity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 57(11), pages 2193-2205, December.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Huerta, Maria C. & Borgonovi, Francesca, 2010. "Education, alcohol use and abuse among young adults in Britain," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 143-151, July.
    3. Eva M Kingma & Peter de Jonge & Pim van der Harst & Johan Ormel & Judith G M Rosmalen, 2012. "The Association between Intelligence and Telomere Length: A Longitudinal Population Based Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(11), pages 1-6, November.
    4. Carter, Jennifer L. & Richards, Marcus & Hotopf, Matthew & Hatch, Stephani L., 2019. "The roles of non-cognitive and cognitive skills in the life course development of adult health inequalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 190-198.
    5. Koltai, Jonathan & Bierman, Alex & Schieman, Scott, 2018. "Financial circumstances, mastery, and mental health: Taking unobserved time-stable influences into account," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 108-116.
    6. John Robert Warren, 2016. "Does Growing Childhood Socioeconomic Inequality Mean Future Inequality in Adult Health?," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 663(1), pages 292-330, January.
    7. Catharine R Gale & Rachel Cooper & Leone Craig & Jane Elliott & Diana Kuh & Marcus Richards & John M Starr & Lawrence J Whalley & Ian J Deary, 2012. "Cognitive Function in Childhood and Lifetime Cognitive Change in Relation to Mental Wellbeing in Four Cohorts of Older People," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-9, September.
    8. Kiyuri Naicker & Maeve Wickham & Ian Colman, 2012. "Timing of First Exposure to Maternal Depression and Adolescent Emotional Disorder in a National Canadian Cohort," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(3), pages 1-6, March.

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