If your parents are socially active and are involved in clubs such as political parties, voluntary groups or religious organisations, you are likely to fare a lot better in exams than your contemporaries, according to a study by researchers at the University of Sheffield.
London, Mar 15 : If your parents are socially active and are involved in clubs such as political parties, voluntary groups or religious organisations, you are likely to fare a lot better in exams than your contemporaries, according to a study by researchers at the University of Sheffield.
The report by Professor Sarah Brown and Dr Karl Taylor, found that kids whose parents are socially active tend to score better in reading, maths and vocabulary tests.
"Children's scores in reading, mathematics and vocabulary tests are positively associated with the extent of their parents' formal social interaction. The results suggest a lack of social interaction may have adverse intergenerational effects in terms of educational attainment. Children of parents who engage in relatively low levels of social interaction attain relatively low scores in reading, maths and vocabulary," the Telegraph quoted the report, as stating.
For the study, the researchers assessed the level of social activity carried out by parents at the age of 23. After 10 years, they compared their children's test scores. The study also took into account different types of clubs the parents were involved in, including environmental charities, trade unions, staff associations and residents' groups.
"The relationship between education and social interaction is not surprising since education plays an important role in developing the social skills of children. Reading and writing are crucial for the ability to communicate and hence engage in social interaction later on in life," the report said.
The results of the study were oblivious to the amount of social activity carried out within the family or how social children were outside the home.
The study also indicated that an extended support network might aid socially active parents.
"Social interaction outside the family may lead to parents being able to access the support and assistance of other individuals and, hence, may benefit parents bringing up children," the authors wrote.
The study took data from the National Child Development Study, which has tracked the lives of a representative sample of the British public born in 1958.
The study will be presented at the Royal Economic Society's Annual Conference at the University of Warwick.
ANI