Many people believe that parenting is the most important factor in a child's development, but a new study suggests that other factors may play an even greater role.
Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis analyzed brain scans from nearly 12,000 children aged 9 to 10 and published their findings in the journal Science.
Daily life leaves its mark
The researchers examined 649 different factors that could influence children's development.
Among other findings, they discovered that sleep, stress, and screen time are linked to brain development.
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Conditions in the local community, such as income levels, poverty rates, and access to transportation, were also found to be important.
According to the researchers, most of the strongest factors were connected to the social and economic circumstances of the family and the surrounding community.
Economic conditions
The study also found that the relationship between IQ and brain structure became much weaker when researchers accounted for the family's financial situation.
Around 70 percent of the previously observed links between IQ and brain measurements disappeared once socioeconomic factors were taken into consideration.
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A family's financial resources and the opportunities available in a child's local environment explain around 16 percent of the differences in children's brain function.
According to the study, these factors have a greater impact on brain development than parenting style, health history, and IQ.
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