Brain Development and Academic Achievement

Donielle Prince 7/20/152:17 PM

"As much as 20% of the gap in test scores could be explained by maturational lags in the frontal and temporal lobes. ... The influence of poverty on children’s learning and achievement is mediated by structural brain development. To avoid long-term costs of impaired academic functioning, households below 150% of the federal poverty level should be targeted for additional resources aimed at remediating early childhood environments."

"Association between Child Poverty, Brain Development, and Academic Achievement"

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Daun KauffmanMember

I think that's the key: for folks to seetrauma as something that happens to you

(versus the way they can often see poverty: something you did).

Right or wrong perception, it seems a key perception, wrapped up in the semantics. It also seems like a battle we can avoid, if we are careful with the semantics.... (a pet peeve of mine). It also seems like the distinction of 'causal' vs correlated (trauma vs.poverty) is begging a dissertation. If there is funding, I volunteer. :-) Thank you !

8/13/1510:29 AM

Donielle PrinceMember

I don't think there is anything controversial about the points your raise. It would definitely make a difference to address poverty by looking at its root causes instead of only at the surface level. It would be more effective, and get more support. I agree that people have been trained to associate poverty with individual failure; whereas more people are able to see trauma as treatable. Although, training is needed- I'm sure there are a few who would even try to argue that you should "just get over it". That misinformation would be a barrier to overcome, but I think a lot more surmountable than the stereotypes around poverty.

Originally Posted by Daun Kauffman:

Yes, and a sorely needed study. I'll be persecuted as soon as this is in print, but I'd suggest that "poverty" is a proxy (with maybe 50% efficacy) for trauma. It's more than semantics. The issues are indirectly related to income, but Directly related to trauma. The semantics do come into play, because it seems too many people 'switch off' when they hear 'poverty'. So, it can be a self defeating word choice. All the while, we know that 22% of those suburban, white, employed, middle-class folks in southern CA ACEs study have 3+ ACEs. When we have a study which clearly discriminates the injury (or insult) source as abuse, neglect, violence,(trauma injury) we will probably have more 'open' ears about defending children. A thought . . .

8/13/159:55 AM

Daun KauffmanMember

8/12/155:58 PM

Donielle PrinceMember

I read it awhile ago now, so without going back to it to read again and I can say with some confidence that this was not an ACE-contexted study. However, I think what the study does is provide additional scientific confirmation for the ACEs research- that in addition to the general finding that ACEs increase health risk, there are actual observable and measurable changes in the brain at the time of traumatic "insult".

The suggestion they make that additional resources be directed toward people below the poverty level to mitigate against these gaps, suggests that they believe that resilience-promoting work could be effective. It would be great for someone to do ACE contexted research to take these brain impact findings to the next level. A great dissertation study!

Originally Posted by Daun Kauffman:

Is there a way to find out whether the study controlled for ACE factors ?...

8/12/155:04 PM

Daun KauffmanMember

Is there a way to find out whether the study controlled for ACE factors ?...

8/12/156:50 AM

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"Association between Child Poverty, Brain Development, and Academic Achievement"

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