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- Title
Are stepfathers' education levels associated with the intelligence of their stepsons? A register-based study of Norwegian half-brothers.
- Authors
Eriksen, Willy; Sundet, Jon M.; Tambs, Kristian
- Abstract
We examined the relationship between the parents' education levels and the adult intelligence of their children in a population-based, nationwide sample of Norwegian half-brothers with different fathers (2,016 pairs of half-brothers). In a family where the mother has two children with different men, the firstborn child usually lives with the younger child's father during a period of their childhood. This makes it possible to study the non-genetic effects of paternal education on children's development. Results showed that the education level of the younger half-brother's father was positively associated with the intelligence score of the older half-brother. The education level of the older half-brother's father was not associated with the intelligence score of the younger half-brother. Firstborn men whose half-brothers' fathers had high levels of education had intelligence scores that were 33% (95% confidence interval: 18-47%) of a standard deviation higher than those of firstborn men whose half-brothers' fathers had low levels of education, after adjustment for the biological fathers' education levels, mothers' education levels, and other background factors. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that a child's family environment exerts an effect on the cognitive abilities of the child that lasts into adulthood.
- Subjects
NORWAY; BIRTH certificates; BIRTH order; CONFIDENCE intervals; STATISTICAL correlation; ECOLOGY; FATHERS; INTELLECT; PROBABILITY theory; REGRESSION analysis; SCALES (Weighing instruments); SONS; STEPFAMILIES; EDUCATIONAL attainment; DATA analysis software; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; PSYCHOLOGY
- Publication
British Journal of Psychology, 2013, Vol 104, Issue 2, p212
- ISSN
0007-1269
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.2044-8295.2012.02113.x