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Genetic associations between non-cognitive skills and academic achievement over development

Author

Listed:
  • Margherita Malanchini

    (Queen Mary University of London
    King’s College London)

  • Andrea G. Allegrini

    (King’s College London
    University College London)

  • Michel G. Nivard

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

  • Pietro Biroli

    (Universita’ di Bologna)

  • Kaili Rimfeld

    (King’s College London
    Royal Holloway University of London)

  • Rosa Cheesman

    (University of Oslo)

  • Sophie Stumm

    (University of York)

  • Perline A. Demange

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    University of Oslo
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute)

  • Elsje Bergen

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute)

  • Andrew D. Grotzinger

    (University of Colorado Boulder)

  • Laurel Raffington

    (Max Planck Institute for Human Development)

  • Javier Fuente

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Jean-Baptiste Pingault

    (King’s College London
    University College London)

  • Elliot M. Tucker-Drob

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • K. Paige Harden

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Robert Plomin

    (King’s College London)

Abstract

Non-cognitive skills, such as motivation and self-regulation, are partly heritable and predict academic achievement beyond cognitive skills. However, how the relationship between non-cognitive skills and academic achievement changes over development is unclear. The current study examined how cognitive and non-cognitive skills are associated with academic achievement from ages 7 to 16 years in a sample of over 10,000 children from England and Wales. The results showed that the association between non-cognitive skills and academic achievement increased across development. Twin and polygenic scores analyses found that the links between non-cognitive genetics and academic achievement became stronger over the school years. The results from within-family analyses indicated that non-cognitive genetic effects on academic achievement could not simply be attributed to confounding by environmental differences between nuclear families, consistent with a possible role for evocative/active gene–environment correlations. By studying genetic associations through a developmental lens, we provide further insights into the role of non-cognitive skills in academic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Margherita Malanchini & Andrea G. Allegrini & Michel G. Nivard & Pietro Biroli & Kaili Rimfeld & Rosa Cheesman & Sophie Stumm & Perline A. Demange & Elsje Bergen & Andrew D. Grotzinger & Laurel Raffin, 2024. "Genetic associations between non-cognitive skills and academic achievement over development," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(10), pages 2034-2046, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:8:y:2024:i:10:d:10.1038_s41562-024-01967-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01967-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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