No evidence of positive causal effects of maternal and paternal age at first birth on children’s test scores at age 10 years

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Research has shown that higher maternal and paternal age is positively associated with children's education. Debate continues as to whether these relationships are causal. This is of great interest given the postponement of first births in almost all developed countries during the twentieth century. Here we use an instrumental variable approach (Mendelian randomization) using maternal and paternal polygenic indices (PGIs) for age at first birth-while conditioning on the child's PGI for age at first birth-to identify the causal effects of maternal and paternal age at first birth on children's test scores based on data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study. We do not find evidence of positive causal effects of both maternal and paternal age at first birth on children's test scores at age 10 years once the children's PGI and correlations among different PGIs are controlled for. We therefore conclude that our results do not provide evidence in favour of sociological theories that predict positive causal effects of parental age on children's educational attainment.

Source: Nature Human Behaviour

DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02108-6

Authors: Michael Grätz, Felix C. Tropf, Fartein Ask Torvik, Ole A. Andreassen, Torkild H. Lyngstad

Institutions: Stockholm University, University of Lausanne, Purdue University West Lafayette, University College London, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, University of Oslo

Language: English

Topic: Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $12,690

Funders: National Science Foundation, Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen, UK Research and Innovation, Trond Mohn stiftelse, European Commission, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Helse- og Omsorgsdepartementet, Novo Nordisk, Universitetet i Bergen, Universitetet i Oslo, Norges Forskningsråd, Université de Lausanne, Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd, Labex Ecodec, Helse Sør-Øst RHF, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, H2020 European Research Council, HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council

OpenAlex ID: W4408062590