School achievement and adult qualifications among adoptees: a longitudinal study
Using the 1958 National Child Development Study, researchers examined school achievement and later qualifications among adoptees. Compared with non-adopted participants with similar birth circumstances, adoptees had better reading, mathematics and general ability scores and advantages in adult qualifications. Family socioeconomic and educational circumstances were associated with achievement.
Limitations: Adoption was not randomly assigned, so differences cannot be attributed solely to adoption. This historical birth cohort includes participants beyond England and Wales. The comparison concerns similar birth circumstances, rather than every non-adopted peer. Participants overlap with other NCDS publications.
- Research type
- Longitudinal study
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Mixed
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: Mixed
Adoption context: Mixed adoption pathways
Programme: National Child Development Study (1958 birth cohort)
Institutional context: No relationship identified in the material checked
No adoption-sector organisational relationship identified from metadata reviewed. Funding and conflicts were not comprehensively audited; this is not confirmation of institutional independence.
Bibliographic screening. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: adult outcomes, education, longitudinal research
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: United Kingdom
- Funding
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Commissioner
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Funder role
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Declared conflicts
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Recruitment
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Adoptee involvement
- Not yet checked for this entry
Entry: study_62d1ccb1554bb5c9