Children exposed to adversities like crowded housing and poverty scored lower on neurocognitive tests, according to a recent study.

The cohort study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, examined the impact of various adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on neurocognitive development in children. Researchers analyzed data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP), which followed 49,853 children from birth to ages 7-8 years, identifying common patterns of childhood adversities.

Using latent class analysis, the researchers categorized children into six groups based on their exposure to 12 types of adversity. These groups included low adversity (49.0%), parental harshness and neglect (3.3%), parental separation and poverty (17.5%), family instability (7.3%), family loss, instability, and poverty (3.0%), and crowded housing and poverty (19.9%).

The study found that children in four of these groups, particularly those experiencing crowded housing and poverty or family loss, instability, and poverty, exhibited significantly lower neurocognitive test scores at age 7 years. The standardized mean differences in test scores ranged from −0.07 (95% CI, −0.11 to −0.03) to −0.86 (95% CI, −1.06 to −0.65) compared to children with low adversity.

These findings underscore the impact of early life adversity on children's cognitive functions. The researchers suggested their research could benefit targeted interventions to mitigate these effects and support children's development. They also emphasized the importance of understanding the complexity and co-occurrence of adversities to effectively address their developmental consequences.

The authors reported no conflicts of interest.