AI Article Synopsis
- The study aims to understand how obtaining a bachelor's degree affects cognitive abilities in later life, particularly regarding how certain adolescent characteristics influence the likelihood of college completion.
- Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, the researchers analyzed the impact of completing college by age 25 on cognitive performance at age 65, focusing on differences between genders.
- Results show that obtaining a bachelor's degree improves later-life cognition, especially for men who had lower chances of completing college during adolescence, highlighting the importance of examining early life factors in educational outcomes.
Article Abstract
Objectives: Drawing on insights from theorizing on cumulative dis/advantage (CDA), we aimed to advance understanding of educational attainment as a protective factor for later-life cognition by examining whether associations between obtaining a bachelor's degree and later-life cognition differ according to individuals' likelihood of completing college based on characteristics in adolescence.
Methods: We conducted a propensity score analysis with data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS). Measures to predict college completion were assessed prospectively in adolescence, and a global measure of later-life cognition was based on cognitive assessments at age 65.
Results: College completion by age 25 (vs high school only) was associated with better later-life cognition for both men and women. Among men specifically, associations were stronger for those who were less likely as adolescents to complete college.
Discussion: Results indicate the utility of a CDA perspective for investigating the implications of interconnected early life risk and protective factors for later-life cognition, as well as ways in which college education can both contribute to, as well as mitigate, processes of CDA.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7265811 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz132 | DOI Listing |
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