Beyond the income-achievement gap: The role of individual, family, and environmental factors in cognitive resilience among low-income youth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Low socioeconomic status is associated with lower cognitive performance and long-term disparities in achievement and success. However, not all children from low-income backgrounds exhibit lower cognitive performance. Characterizing the factors that promote such resilience in youth from low-income households is of crucial importance.

Methods

We used baseline data from participants in the lowest tertile of income-to-needs in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study and machine learning to identify the factors that predict fluid and crystallized cognitive resilience among youth from low-income backgrounds. Predictors included 164 variables across child characteristics, family and developmental history, and environment.

Results

Our models were reliably

SUBMITTER: Rakesh D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12446723 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature