Posted by Racer on October 14, 2006, at 13:45:18
In reply to poor kids: poor brain development?, posted by pseudoname on October 13, 2006, at 11:11:42
I read a study many, many years ago which showed that a middle class family falling below the poverty line didn't recover fully for three generations. The children of that first generation could achieve great improvement in their own lives and their children's early environment, but it was only their children's children who really got back to solid socioeconomic ground in terms of health, school achievement, etc. It's been too many years now for me to tell you where this was published, but it was a real eye-opener for me.
What this article kinda dances around, though, is epigenetics -- the environment has such an impact on development, and not only in early childhood. We here at PsychoBabble certainly know the damage stress can have on us, right? Well, think about the stress of pregnancy added to the stress of poverty? When that researcher says that her children start off level with the lower SES children she's studying, she's being a bit naive -- her children start off several rungs up, because she was not suffering nearly as much stress as the mothers of her subjects. Maybe those stress hormones effect the development of the language and task planning centers of the embryonic brains?
Studies like this one worry me, though. While this sort of study brings to my mind thoughts like, "Well, in that case, it's vital that we create effective programs to support pregnant poor women," I think there's also another view that some people may take: "Good. In that case, I don't have to worry about the poor anymore -- they deserve it."
Oh, well -- when I rule the universe, I'll fix this problem, too...
Thanks for posting this, PseudoName. It's very interesting.
poster:Racer
thread:694464
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20061009/msgs/694778.html