Preschool Mathematics and Literacy Skills and Educational Attainment in Adolescents Born Preterm and Full Term

verfasst von
Nicole Baumann, Falk Voit, Dieter Wolke, Hayley Trower, Ayten Bilgin, Eero Kajantie, Katri Räikkönen, Kati Heinonen, Daniel D. Schnitzlein, Sakari Lemola
Abstract

Objectives: To test whether preschool academic skills were associated with educational attainment in adolescence and whether associations differed between individuals born preterm and at full term. Study design: This prospective cohort study comprised 6924 individuals, including n = 444 (6.4%) adolescents born preterm (<37 weeks of gestation) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Preschool academic (mathematics and literacy) skills were rated by teachers at 4-5 years. Educational attainment at 16 years was informed by attaining a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in key subjects mathematics and English. Logistic regressions assessed the association between preterm birth, preschool mathematics, and GCSE Mathematics and between preterm birth, preschool literacy, and GCSE English. Results: Similar numbers of adolescents born preterm and at term achieved a GCSE in mathematics and English (53.6 % vs 57.4% and 59.5% vs 63.9%, respectively; P values > .05). Higher preschool academic skill scores in mathematics were associated with greater odds of attaining GCSE Mathematics and preschool literacy skills were associated with GCSE English. Adolescents born preterm with higher preschool mathematics (OR: 1.51, CI: 1.14, 2.00) and literacy skills (OR: 1.57, CI: 1.10, 2.25) were more likely to attain GCSEs in the respective subject than their term-born counterparts with equal levels of preschool skills. Conclusions: Preschool academic skills in mathematics and literacy are associated with educational attainment of preterm and term-born individuals in adolescence. Children born prematurely may benefit more from preschool mathematics and literacy skills for academic and educational success into adolescence than term-born individuals.

Organisationseinheit(en)
Institut für Arbeitsökonomik
Externe Organisation(en)
University of Leicester
Monash University
University of Warwick
University of Essex
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
University of Oulu
Universität Helsinki
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Tampere University
Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit (IZA)
Universität Bielefeld
Typ
Artikel
Journal
Journal of Pediatrics
Band
264
Anzahl der Seiten
10
ISSN
0022-3476
Publikationsdatum
01.2024
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Pädiatrie, Perinatalogie und Gesundheitsvorsorge bei Kindern
Elektronische Version(en)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113731 (Zugang: Offen)