Mentally engaging parenting linked to better working memory development
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds often start school with lower working memory scores. A large study tracking students through fifth grade reveals how mentally stimulating activities like reading and puzzles can help buffer the cognitive impacts of socioeconomic inequality.
A recent study has found that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds can improve their working memory development by engaging in mentally stimulating activities with their parents. Working memory, the ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information, is crucial for learning as it allows children to reason, plan, and understand language.
This cognitive skill grows rapidly during early childhood, and a family's socioeconomic status impacts its development. Children from wealthier families often start school with better working memory skills, but engaging in activities such as reading, puzzles, and crafts with their parents can help bridge the cognitive gap. Researchers analyzed data from over 15,000 US students and discovered that cognitive stimulation, measured by the frequency of reading, singing, and arts and crafts activities, led to a delayed plateau in working memory development among disadvantaged children.
This means their mental capacities continued to grow at a rate similar to their wealthier peers. Other parenting behaviors, such as warmth and physical discipline, did not have a significant impact on this relationship.
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