Abstract
BackgroundStudies on early predictors of intelligence often focus on single or few predictors and often on childhood intelligence. This study compared the contributions of a broad selection of potential early predictors of intelligence at different adult ages.MethodsInformation on predictors was recorded prospectively in the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort during pregnancy, at delivery, and at 1- and 3-year examinations for children born between 1959–61. Adult intelligence was assessed at three independent follow-ups using three different tests of intelligence: Børge Priens Prøve, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and Intelligenz-Struktur-Test 2000R. From a total of 4697 cohort members, three non-overlapping samples were derived.ResultsThe included predictors explained between 22.2–24.3% of the variance in adult IQ, with parental socioeconomic status and sex explaining 16.2–17.0%. Other consistent predictors were head circumference at birth, increase in head circumference head during the first three years, and 3-year milestones. Head circumference was the most important anthropometric measure compared to measures of weight and length.ConclusionBesides social status and sex, the strongest and most consistent early predictors of adult intelligence were physical or behavioural characteristics that to some extent reflect brain–and cognitive development.
Highlights
Psychometric intelligence or IQ is a major predictor of a broad range of life outcomes such as educational attainment and job performance [1,2] in addition to health outcomes such as morbidity and mortality [3,4,5]
Adult intelligence was assessed at three independent follow-ups using three different tests of intelligence: Børge Priens Prøve, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and Intelligenz-Struktur-Test 2000R
The objective of the present study was to conduct a systematic evaluation of a broad selection of both well-established and less well-established predictors of IQ in the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort (CPC)
Summary
Psychometric intelligence or IQ is a major predictor of a broad range of life outcomes such as educational attainment and job performance [1,2] in addition to health outcomes such as morbidity and mortality [3,4,5]. Identifying early life determinants of adult intelligence is important, for understanding the development of intelligence, and for interpreting potential mechanisms that might explain associations between intelligence and different life outcomes. Empirical evidence suggests that especially parental education, parental income, and maternal IQ are important predictors of intelligence. Parental education together with maternal IQ and the child’s sex were found to account for 24% of the variance in IQ at age 5 [6]. Only 7.5% of the variance in IQ at age 14 was explained by family income, parental education and breast feeding [9]. This study compared the contributions of a broad selection of potential early predictors of intelligence at different adult ages
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