An Exploration of The Influences of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Neural Development and Functioning

Abstract

The review of literature examines the relationship between socioeconomic status and neurological development according to current studies. This article specifically investigates how the socioeconomic status of childhood influences the development of the brain and cognitive functioning even into adulthood. The measurements of socioeconomic status like education, household income, and neighborhood demographics are each found to independently influence neural development, thus affecting cognitive functioning. This article investigates how factors of socioeconomic status affect specific brain structures and cognitive functions. Low socioeconomic status was found to negatively impact neural development and hinder cognitive abilities and growth. High parental education specifically is linked to greater cognitive functioning and skills as it contributes to greater cognitive enrichment in the home and healthier habits like nutrition. The volume of brain structures like the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, overall surface area, and cortical thickness of the brain are all impacted by socioeconomic measures. Socioeconomic stressors are associated with poor behavioral outcomes, attention deficits, poor language, and weakened executive functioning. Neighborhood quality contributes greatly to socioeconomic stressors which have an impact on brain reactivity, behavioral intensity, and selective attention. Racial and ethnic minorities are often disadvantaged in neighborhood quality and overall socioeconomic status. Various studies expound upon the significant relationship between the socioeconomic status and neurological development of racial and ethnic minorities. Journal articles, empirical studies, etc. propose home, school, and policy-based interventions to bridge the developmental gaps between low and high-socioeconomic standing children and adolescents. Such studies can be applied to educational modifications and other forms of cognitive enrichment.