Longitudinal associations between socioeconomic status and executive function during adolescence: evidence from the SCAMP study
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Few studies have isolated associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and executive function (EF) in adolescence, when EF inequalities may be particularly consequential for academic attainment. Using data from the Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (n = 2726) and multiple regressions, we evaluated relationships between SES indices (parental education and occupation, area-level deprivation, and household poverty) and EF tasks, controlling for demographic factors. Replicating findings from childhood, latent SES and EF measures associated cross-sectionally at age 12 (β = 0.11, [0.07, 0.15]). We further observed a small increase in the socioeconomic EF gradient between 12 and 14 years (β = 0.07, [0.04, 0.11]), with which was specifically associated with parental occupation and household poverty. Working memory span tasks were particularly sensitive to SES. Our results highlight specific SES-EF associations during adolescence and could help identify pupils at risk for cognitive, and therefore academic, challenges who may benefit from targeted support.
Date Issued
2026-01-01
Date Acceptance
2025-10-22
Citation
Learning and Individual Differences, 2026, 125
ISSN
1041-6080
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Learning and Individual Differences
Volume
125
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Subjects
Adolescence
ADVERSITY
ATTAINMENT
CHILDREN
COGNITION
EDUCATION
Executive function
FAMILY
INCOME
Individual differences
PATHWAYS
PERFORMANCE
Psychology
Psychology, Educational
Social Sciences
Socioeconomic status
Working memory
WORKING-MEMORY
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
102822
Date Publish Online
2025-11-24