Only Children and Cognitive Ability in Childhood
A Cross-Cohort Analysis over 50 Years in the United Kingdom
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4834686 |
|---|---|
| Authors | A Goisis (0000-0002-3038-0337, University College London, corresponding author), Jenny Chanfreau (0000-0003-3914-5859, University College London), Vanessa Moulton (0000-0002-7400-2522, University College London), George Ploubidis (0000-0002-8198-5790, University College London) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 319-349 |
| Publication date | 2023-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Population and Development Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0098-7921 • E-ISSN: 1728-4457 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/padr.12560 |
| OpenAlex | W4375845948 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 38 |
Only children's uniqueness has intrigued researchers for decades, but many gaps in knowledge remain as to whether only children differ from children who have siblings. We use data from four British birth cohorts (born in 1946, 1958, 1970, 2000-2002) to investigate cross-cohort differences in the composition of only child families and whether the association between being an only child and cognitive ability in childhood has changed over time. Only children show similar scores to children from two child families and higher scores than children with two or more siblings across each of the cohorts analyzed. However, the results also show that-consistent with the finding that, across cohorts, the composition of the only child group has become more associated with social disadvantage-the "only child advantage" has weakened when comparing the most recent birth cohort to the older ones. Adjustment by family sociodemographic characteristics attenuates within and cross-cohort differences. Moreover, the results show that the cognitive advantages associated with being an only child vary considerably by whether the cohort member has been exposed to parental separation or is growing up in a family with lower socioeconomic status. The results highlight diversity in being an only child whose characteristics are conditional on changes throughout time and society
Cognition · Cohort · Cohort study · Developmental psychology · Disadvantage · Millennium Cohort Study (United States · Population · Psychiatry · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Demography · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Psychology
Birth Order, Family Size, and Intelligence
Birth order and intellectual development.
Cohort Profile
The Rise in Single-Mother Families and Children’s Cognitive Development
Quantitative review of the only child literature
Only Children and Personality Development
Consequences of family disruption on children’s educational outcomes in Norway
The (Conditional) Resource Dilution Model
Overview Chapter 1
Further Evidence on Sibship Size and Educational Stratification
When does family size matter? Sibship size, socioeconomic status and education in England
Family Size and the Quality of Children
Diverging destinies
When Bigger Is Not Better
Parental divorce and the well-being of children
Highly Restricted Fertility
The Only Child in America
The sibsize revolution in an international context
The one-child family
England and Wales
The Developmental Tasks of Siblingship over the Life Cycle
Number of Siblings and Friendship Nominations Among Adolescents
Reconsidering the Effects of Sibling Configuration
Playing Well with Others in Kindergarten
The long reach of divorce
Only children as adult women
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |