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Are the effects of intelligence on student achievement and well-being largely functions of family income and social class? Evidence from a longitudinal study of Irish adolescents

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  • O'Connell, Michael
  • Marks, Gary N.

Abstract

The paper examines the effects of socioeconomic background (SES) - measured by social class, family income and parental education - cognitive ability, and gender on a variety of key outcomes from a large longitudinal study based on a representative sample of thirteen-year-olds. The data analysed comprised 6216 children who participated in waves 1 to 3 of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) longitudinal survey. The outcome measures drawn from wave 3, when respondents were aged about seventeen, were: examination results and several cognitive measures, life difficulties, and quality of relationships. Three regression models were compared with and without, SES measures (occupational class, household income and parental education) and cognitive ability. On academic and cognitive attainments, cognitive ability at age 13 had substantially more explanatory power than the SES measures together. On measures of adolescent difficulties and on family relationships, cognitive ability was important, but gender and to a lesser extent, household income and parental education had some effects. Claims that class background and family income are of central importance for adolescent outcomes are not supported.

Suggested Citation

  • O'Connell, Michael & Marks, Gary N., 2021. "Are the effects of intelligence on student achievement and well-being largely functions of family income and social class? Evidence from a longitudinal study of Irish adolescents," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intell:v:84:y:2021:i:c:s0160289620300891
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2020.101511
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pokropek, Artur & Marks, Gary N. & Borgonovi, Francesca & Koc, Piotr & Greiff, Samuel, 2022. "General or specific abilities? Evidence from 33 countries participating in the PISA assessments," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).

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