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Effects of Health on Academic Performance Trajectories in Children: a Two-Year Follow-Up Study in Córdoba-Argentina

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Abstract

This study assessed the effects of self-perceived health on the trajectories of academic performance (TAP) in children from Córdoba-Argentina, taking into account socioeconomic characteristics and intellectual capacity. A total of 494 children (mean = 9.5 years old) who attend public schools were followed-up from fourth to six grade to measure their TAP. Self-perceived health was measured at baseline using the KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire, which provided information of ten health’s dimensions. Means and standard deviations of health scores at baseline were compared between TAP by calculating the effect size (ES) and logistic regression models were run to evaluate the effect of each dimension of health on children’s school outcomes. Lower average scores in almost all psychosocial dimensions of health corresponded to worse TAP. Children ‘self-perceived health at baseline showed more pronounced differences as more contrastive were TAP to each other. Self-perception, autonomy and school environment showed to have the most pronounced effects on TAP. Students with poorer psychosocial health showed a disadvantage as such students were more likely to get an educational risk TAP. These findings are important to develop nontraditional school achievement strategies potential to enhance both student health and academic achievement.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Rubén López de Neira, Fernanda Palacios and the authorities in the Secretariat of Education, Municipality of Cordoba. Thank you to Verónica Mamondi, Julieta Lavin Fueyo, Dolores Román, Belén Borgonovo, Gabriela Reartes and Ana Moos, for their support and collaboration. We also express our gratitude to the directors, teachers, parents, students and staff at the municipal primary schools that helped us to conduct the fieldwork for our study.

Funding

This work was partially supported by the National Fund for Science and Technology (FONCYT) and the Secretary of Science and Technology of the National University of Cordoba (SECYT-UNC), Argentina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) y Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Avenida Valparaíso s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP: 5000, Córdoba Capital, Argentina

    Emilse Degoy & Silvina Berra

  2. Centro de Investigación Epidemiológica y en Servicios de Salud, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNC, Córdoba, Argentina

    Emilse Degoy & Silvina Berra

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  1. Emilse Degoy
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Correspondence to Emilse Degoy.

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Degoy, E., Berra, S. Effects of Health on Academic Performance Trajectories in Children: a Two-Year Follow-Up Study in Córdoba-Argentina. Child Ind Res 14, 1139–1156 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-020-09795-9

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