Citation
Gorman, B. K. (2002). Birth Weight and Cognitive Development in Adolescence: Causal Relationship or Social Selection?.
Social Biology. vol. 49 (1-2) pp. 13-34
Abstract
Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health), I investigate the relationship between birth weight and cognitive development among adolescents aged 12-17. Initial OLS regression models reveal a significant, positive relationship between low birth weight and verbal ability. Controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and other adolescent characteristics modifies, but does not eliminate, this relationship. Additional models that stratify the sample by parental education illustrate the greater importance of other family and adolescent characteristics for cognitive development in adolescence, and a diminished role of birth weight. In the final section of the paper, fixed effects models of non-twin full siblings indicate no significant association between birth weight and verbal ability, suggesting that traditional cross-sectional models overstate the influence of birth weight for cognitive development in adolescence.
URL
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14652907Reference Type
Journal Article
Journal Title
Social Biology
Author(s)
Gorman, B. K.
Year Published
2002
Volume Number
49
Issue Number
1-2
Pages
13-34
Reference ID
142
