Experiencing traumatic events reminiscent of natural disasters can have long-term consequences for the educational progress and future food security of youth -; an issue researchers said could worsen with the increased frequency of maximum weather events attributable to climate change.

In a study using data from Peru, researchers from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that being exposed to a greater variety of traumatic events or “shocks,” reminiscent of a natural disaster or lack of family income, in youth was related to lower reading and vocabulary test scores over time, in addition to reduced food security.

The study was recently published within the journal Population Research and Policy Review.

Carolyn Reyes, a senior research associate at Public Smart who led the study while earning her doctorate in rural sociology and demography at Penn State, said the findings could help guide policy aimed toward minimizing the impacts of shocks.

As climate change results in more frequent and severe weather events, and economic crises and an ongoing pandemic proceed to create challenges for families, it is vital for policies to assist minimize the consequences of those shocks. A majority of these initiatives could include unconditional money transfers, expanding social protections, and more accessible and widely available insurance programs.”

Carolyn Reyes, senior research associate at Public Smart

The researchers found that shocks experienced more recently were essentially the most strongly related to negative learning and well-being outcomes. Specifically, 15-year-olds in Peru who experienced a shock previously three to 4 years were more more likely to have lower test scores, be less food secure, have poorer health and spend more time on household duties.

Heather Randell, assistant professor of rural sociology and demography, said while the study used data from Peru, the outcomes may very well be applicable to populations across the globe.

“Household shocks experienced by kids can take a vital toll on health and learning irrespective of where they live,” Randell said. “For instance, if teens need to help handle siblings or assist their parents in earning income, this will likely divert resources and a focus away from school. This in turn can affect the period of time teens need to give attention to schoolwork, or it could push them out of faculty altogether.”

In line with the researchers, prior work has found that children often are more vulnerable to shocks than other members of a household. Young children could also be particularly affected, with shocks experienced early in life impairing physical and cognitive development for years to return.

Children from rural households may face additional obstacles from environmental shocks. For instance, if drought causes a family to lose income because of this of dying crops, children could also be forced out of faculty to assist find alternative income. While school attendance has improved in recent many years, almost one-fifth of school-age children worldwide remained out of faculty in 2018.

While previous studies have found connections between shocks and antagonistic educational outcomes, the researchers said lots of these studies relied on cross-sectional data as an alternative of following children over time, or examined the consequences of only one or two varieties of shock.

Reyes said she and Randell wanted to construct on existing research by expanding their study to look at the consequences of multiple varieties of shocks on education and multiple measures of well-being over a 15-year time period.

She added that Peru was an excellent setting for the study due to its high levels of poverty and inequality, and since a big portion of the population relies on agriculture as a most important source of income.

“Peru is very prone to environmental shocks reminiscent of earthquakes, floods and drought,” Reyes said. “As well as, a large segment of the population is under the age of 18. All of those aspects amount to higher likelihoods of youngsters being exposed to shocks across their young lives.”

For the study, the researchers used data from the Young Lives Longitudinal Survey of 1,713 children from Peru over a span of 15 years. Data from the ultimate round, when the youngsters were 15, included reading, math and vocabulary test scores, details about their food security and health, and details about how much time they spent studying and doing household chores.

The researchers also used data concerning the shocks these households experienced within the years prior to the youngsters turning 15. Shocks included economic or agricultural shocks, reminiscent of lack of a job or crop failure; environmental shocks, reminiscent of flooding or an earthquake; and family shocks, reminiscent of divorce or the death of a household member.

In line with the researchers, there may very well be multiple explanations for the findings. For instance, if flooding destroys a family’s crops that they were depending on for income, children may spend more time working for extra cash as an alternative of going to highschool or studying. Or, within the case of the death of a member of the family, psychological impacts may negatively affect progress at college.

Reyes said that while the study focused on data when the youngsters were of their teens, the repercussions of experiencing multiple shocks early in life may proceed for years.

“Because education and early work experiences are so necessary for future economic and social success, exposure to shocks could create circumstances that end in a lifetime of hardship,” she said. “Additional research could explore the precise mechanisms of how these shocks affect education and well-being, which could then assist in the design of targeted and effective interventions.”

Source:

Journal reference:

Reyes, C.B & Randell, H., (2023) Household Shocks and Adolescent Well-Being in Peru. Population Research and Policy Review. doi.org/10.1007/s11113-023-09787-x.