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The baby’s first year’s causal study is trying to determine how reduction of poverty causses changes in brain development. The research study was conducted on randomized mothers within the United States, who were given unconditional cash gifts, and others were made to receive larger amounts of money which could help change their day-to-day lives, and most likely increasing their monthly income by 20% to 25% (TED Salon, 2019). The research was committed to determine whether poverty reduction helps to improve the cognitive, emotional, and brain development of a child within their first three years of life.

The neuroscientists are trying to understand whether the cost-effective way to help children living in poverty would be to give their mothers more money that would first help to reduce the poverty level. The researchers postulate that the level of family income affects a child’s brain structure; such that, children born in disadvantaged families have been found to have a smaller surface area of the brain cortex, while those from non-disadvantaged families have larger surface area (TED Salon, 2019). Thus, their study is to understand the effectiveness of poverty reducing in improving the brain development of a child.

The study is trying to produce a hypothesis that would support that reducing poverty would promote the child’s brain, cognitive, and emotional development. If the hypothesis is established, the researchers intend to use the study results to address and inform debates about social servicesthat have a greater influence on millions of families with young children within the USA. The results would be used to prove that addressing poverty will mean that children born in poverty today will have a promised brighter future (TED Salon, 2019).

Information learnt from this study is important because it helps to promote the understanding on how poverty affects the child’s brain development. It also helps to communicate the message that issue of brain development can be tackled through provision of better lifestyles for the families that are affected by poverty itself. By focusing to improve the brain development of children, the study will help to reduce inequalities and to achieve the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This study is also significant because its results will help to build up the evidence on how poverty affects development of children’s brain, and how it can be addressed. Understanding what poverty does to a child’s brain development is important since there are millions of children who live in poor conditions within the US. Besides, poverty’s effects on child’s brain development is a critical factor in other social issues, not only educational outcomes, but also job employment. Hence, the study will hep to build a more comprehensive view of poverty and its effect on the neurological wellbeing of a child., as well as their cognition and socio-emotional competence.

This information can be used to enhance family economic stability and well-being through the support that would be provided by the welfare system after the study’s results inform on the effectiveness of addressing poverty. This will help to reduce poverty and improve brain development of the children which will result in improved academic performance; thus, increasing chances of employment. As a result, the wellbeing of families will be improved since the children will be made independent.

Studies show that children from low-income families are confronted with risk factors such as impaired physical health, mental health problems as well as exposure to toxic substances at home. These factors in turn lead to decreased cognitive and socio-emotional development of these children which may lead them into crime and substance abuse. By addressing the problem of poverty, the brain development of a child will be enhanced; thus, improving the child’s academic performance and reducing further involvement in crime.

References

TED Salon. (2019, January). How does income affect childhood brain development? [Video file]. https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberly_noble_how_does_income_affect_childhood_brain_development