Effects of Changed School Entry Rules: Age Effects within Third Grade Students

Abstract

It has been reported that young age of school onset has important effects on academic and behavioral outcomes. Although there are studies using multinational data, data from low and middle income countries are few. As part of a larger study about mathematics learning difficulties, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the age of school entry on mathematics ability and general ability in standard tests and emotional and behavioral problems reported by their teachers among 2058 third grade students in Ankara, second biggest and capital city of Turkey. Results indicated lower mathematics and general abilities and higher hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention and emotional problems scores as well as less prosocial behavior in the youngest group of children. Effect sizes were largest for general ability and mathematics ability. Our data were largely consistent with previous studies from other countries, and extended the literature by providing data from a middle income country.

The effect of school-entry age on health is understudied in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review and future directions for research

“…Early starters generally reported adverse neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes compared to late starters ( Caye et al, 2020 ; Gökçe et al, 2017 ; Gümüş & Yürümez, 2021 ; Öner et al, 2018 , 2019 ). Children who were young-for-grade were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, for example, compared to late starters ( Caye et al, 2020 ; Gökçe et al, 2017 ; Öner et al, 2019 ).…”

“…All 8 included articles were published within the previous five years. The three of the four articles from Türkiye were published between 2017 and 2019, when the country implemented legislative changes to school-entry age ( Gökçe et al, 2017 ; Öner et al, 2018 , 2019 ). The remaining studies used data from Brazil, Mexico, and Vietnam ( Caudillo, 2019 ; Caye et al, 2020 ; Levasseur, 2022 ; Nguyen & Lewis, 2019 ).…”

“…There were no low-income economy country studies, and no published studies identified from the African continent. The exposure was generally defined as being young-for-grade ( Caudillo, 2019 ; Caye et al, 2020 ; Gökçe et al, 2017 ; Gümüş & Yürümez, 2021 ; Nguyen & Lewis, 2019 ; Öner et al, 2018 , 2019 ), with the exception of one quasi-experimental study from Brazil ( Levasseur, 2022 ), which defined the exposure as late enrollment compared to peers in the same grade (as opposed to early enrolment). In terms of outcomes, all 8 studies assessed health outcomes among children and youth aged between 0 and 22 years ( Caye et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Despite the large scope of databases which we searched for relevant evidence, we identified just eight relevant studies, published between 2017 and 2022. All studies used quantitative designs and mostly assessed neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes ( Caye et al, 2020 ; Gökçe et al, 2017 ; Gümüş & Yürümez, 2021 ; Öner et al, 2018 , 2019 ). These studies appear largely modelled after earlier studies on neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes which were conducted in HICs, such as Denmark ( Pottegård et al, 2014 ), Germany ( Schwandt & Wuppermann, 2016 ), Iceland ( Zoëga et al, 2012 ), the United States ( Elder, 2010 ), and the United Kingdom ( Goodman & Gledhill, 2003 ) ( Table 2 ).…”

“…Only two studies, for example, assessed sexual and reproductive health outcomes ( Caudillo, 2019 ; Nguyen & Lewis, 2019 ) and only one study assessed nutritional outcomes, such as malnutrition ( Levasseur, 2022 ). The few studies that were available from MICs generally point to a negative association between being young-for-grade and health outcomes in childhood and adolescence, including in Mexico, Vietnam, and Türkiye ( Caudillo, 2019 ; Gökçe et al, 2017 ; Gümüş & Yürümez, 2021 ; Nguyen & Lewis, 2019 ; Öner et al, 2018 , 2019 ). Evidence for anthropometric measurements was mixed in a study from Brazil ( Levasseur, 2022 ).…”