Abstract
There is a large number of variables, studied in the literature, that affect the integral development of students in the educational stage, but few research analyze the effects that relative age can have on development. The aim of this study is to review and summarize the results obtained, on this subject, in recent research. The methodology used has followed the PRISMA declaration. The final sample is composed by 21 articles, which use data from 24 countries and 32 assessments. The main conclusions indicate that relatively younger children in same class groups: (a) obtain significantly lower mean scores in cognitive and motor tests, (b) have a higher repetition rate, and (c) have a less capacity of socialization. Finally, it should be noted that considering the results obtained by the research on relative age effect on child development, some authors propose to adapt educational practices to minimize these effects.
Highlights
The study of the relative age effect (RAE) on the development of cognitive, motor, and emotional skills in schoolchildren has gained momentum in recent decades worldwide, driven by the implementation and modification of public policies aimed at improving the teaching and learning processes inherent in any education system [1,2,3]
There are two ways of calculating relative age: by calendar year and by arbitrary cut-off. In the former, we find, for example, the case of the Spanish education system, which segments each school year by those born in a certain year
It is worth noting that the RAE may be significantly larger when accompanied by risk variables, including economic, socio-demographic and family support variables
Summary
Relative age is defined as the difference in age between two or more subjects within a date range. In education, it will be the difference in age between schoolchildren in the same class [4,5,6]. There are two ways of calculating relative age: by calendar year and by arbitrary cut-off. In the former, we find, for example, the case of the Spanish education system, which segments each school year by those born in a certain year. In either scenario there will be a difference of almost 12 months between the “relatively younger”
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