How socioeconomic circumstances, school achievement and reserve capacity in adolescence predict adult education level: a three-generation study in Finland

Abstract

<p>Family socioeconomic circumstances directly influence adult education<br />level. Adolescent psychosocial resources and health-promoting behaviour<br />collectively termed as ‘reserve capacity’ and school achievement may<br />likely mediate the effect of family socioeconomic circumstances on adult<br />education level. We tested these relationships using 1985–1995 survey data<br />on 12–18-year-old Finns (N = 41,822) linked with three-generation registry<br />data of Statistics Finland until 2009. Results of the multinomial logistic<br />regression models, adjusted for sex and age at end of follow-up, showed<br />that socioeconomic circumstances of parents and grandparents predicted<br />adult education level. School achievement and reserve capacity dimensions<br />of perceived health, health-promoting behaviour and social support in<br />adolescence also positively predicted adult education. Moreover, these<br />tended to decrease the effect of family socioeconomic circumstances on<br />educational level. Our findings suggest that formulating interventions which<br />build reserve capacity and improve school performance, especially among<br />adolescents from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, could likely<br />reduce educational inequalities.<br /></p>