From adolescent schooling to adult health: School experiences, socioeconomic disadvantage, and inflammation

Citation

Schorpp, Kristen (2014). From adolescent schooling to adult health: School experiences, socioeconomic disadvantage, and inflammation. 2014 Add Health Users Conference. Bethesda, MD.

Abstract

Extensive research has identified the widespread benefits of positive academic and social experiences on adolescent well-being, but it remains unknown whether such experiences within the school context are tied to future physiological functioning. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1994-2006), this study examined the longitudinal relation between adolescent school experiences, school contextual disadvantage, and a physiological indicator of inflammation (C-reactive protein) in young adulthood. Results from ordinal logistic regression analysis provide evidence for the protective effect of academic achievement, cognitive aptitude, and extracurricular involvement on young adult C-reactive protein levels. Furthermore, school-level socioeconomic disadvantage moderated these associations, such that adolescents in contexts of high socioeconomic disadvantage experienced greater benefits from high academic achievement and school connectedness compared to adolescents in schools of lower socioeconomic disadvantage. These results identify the significant relation between adolescent schooling and physiological functioning, and also illuminate the potential for positive school experiences to promote individual resilience among adolescents in disadvantaged school contexts.

URL

https://addhealth.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/docs/events/20140613_Add_Health_Users_Conference_Abstracts.pdf

Reference Type

Conference proceeding

Book Title

2014 Add Health Users Conference

Author(s)

Schorpp, Kristen

Year Published

2014

City of Publication

Bethesda, MD

Reference ID

6242