High School Curriculum and Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Sara Moorman, Saber Khani
Primary Institution: Boston College
Hypothesis
The content and difficulty of the curriculum in high school lead to higher levels of socioeconomic attainment in adulthood and, in turn, to better cognitive outcomes in older adulthood.
Conclusion
High school curricular content and difficulty are linked to better cognitive function in later life through higher educational attainment.
Supporting Evidence
- Formal educational attainment has a positive effect on cognitive health across the life course.
- Curricular difficulty and content in high school were positively related to cognitive function at age 75.
- High school curricular content and difficulty were associated with higher degree attainment.
Takeaway
If high school classes are harder and include more math and science, people might do better in their thinking skills when they are older.
Methodology
Estimated multilevel structural equation models (MSEMs) using data from individuals who attended U.S. high schools in 1960 and participated in the Project Talent Aging Study in 2018.
Participant Demographics
Individuals who attended one of 1,312 U.S. high schools in 1960.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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