Table 1_Sociodemographic correlates of cognitive performance in healthy children and adolescents.docx

BackgroundThe maturation of cognitive abilities, a key aspect of childhood development, is associated with numerous outcomes later in life. Socioeconomic variables have been shown to influence this developmental trajectory. Given the growing global socioeconomic inequality, it is essential to account for socioeconomic factors when conducting research on cognitive development. While previous studies often focused on single cognitive domains and small cohorts or age groups, this study aimed to assess the association between sex, maternal education, and cognitive performance using three standard cognitive tests in a large cohort of healthy children and adolescents and to explore Tetris as a game-based cognitive test.
MethodsCognitive performance was examined in 9- to 19-year-olds using four tests (Trail Making Test, Mental Rotation Test, Continuous Performance Test, Tetris). Data were collected between October 2019 and December 2023 as part of the LIFE Child study, conducted in Leipzig (Germany), involving 770 participants for Tetris, Trail Making, and Mental Rotation, and 888 participants for the Continuous Performance Test. Multiple regression models, adjusted for age, considered sex and maternal education as independent variables.
ResultsYounger boys showed lower attention and inhibition control than girls, but improved during puberty, ultimately outperforming girls in the Continuous Performance Test. In Tetris, boys cleared more lines but made more rotation and movement faults than same-aged girls. No sex differences were observed in the Trail Making and Mental Rotation Test. Children of mothers with higher education made fewer errors in the Mental Rotation Test and were more attentive and less impulsive in the Continuous Performance Test than children of mothers with lower education. Tetris performance was significantly associated with the Mental Rotation and Trail Making Test.
ConclusionCognitive performance patterns varied by sex and maternal education, highlighting the importance of distinguishing typical developmental variation from cognitive delay to guide individual support. Lower maternal education emerged as a potential risk factor for poorer cognitive performance, relevant for targeted interventions. We recommend further investigating Tetris as a game-based cognitive test.

背景：认知能力成熟作为儿童发育的核心维度之一，与个体日后诸多生命结局密切相关。已有研究证实，社会经济变量会影响这一发育轨迹。鉴于全球社会经济不平等问题日益凸显，在开展认知发育相关研究时纳入社会经济因素至关重要。既往研究多聚焦于单一认知领域、小样本队列或特定年龄组，本研究依托大型健康儿童青少年队列，采用三项标准化认知测验评估性别、母亲受教育程度与认知表现的关联，并探索俄罗斯方块（Tetris）作为游戏化认知测验的应用潜力。
方法：本研究针对9至19岁人群开展认知表现测评，共采用四项测验：连线测验（Trail Making Test）、心理旋转测验（Mental Rotation Test）、持续操作测验（Continuous Performance Test）以及俄罗斯方块（Tetris）。数据采集于2019年10月至2023年12月期间，依托德国莱比锡开展的LIFE儿童研究（LIFE Child study）完成，其中参与俄罗斯方块、连线测验与心理旋转测验的受试者共770名，参与持续操作测验的受试者共888名。本研究采用以年龄为协变量进行校正的多元回归模型，将性别与母亲受教育程度作为自变量开展分析。
结果：低龄男性受试者的注意力与抑制控制能力弱于女性，但在青春期后该表现得到改善，最终在持续操作测验中表现优于女性。在俄罗斯方块测验中，男性受试者清除的行数更多，但相较于同龄女性，其旋转与移动失误次数也更多。连线测验与心理旋转测验未观察到显著性别差异。母亲受教育程度较高的儿童，在心理旋转测验中的错误次数更少，且在持续操作测验中注意力更集中、冲动性更低。俄罗斯方块测验表现与心理旋转测验、连线测验得分均存在显著关联。
结论：认知表现模式因性别与母亲受教育程度而异，这凸显了区分典型发育变异与认知迟缓的重要性，可为个体化支持提供指导。母亲受教育程度较低成为认知表现较差的潜在风险因素，这与针对性干预措施的制定密切相关。本研究建议进一步探索俄罗斯方块作为游戏化认知测验的应用价值。