A Path Analysis of the Effect of Childhood Socioeconomic Status on Cognitive Function in Middle-aged and Older Adults

Background The effects of childhood experiences on the health of middle-aged and older adults has become a research hotspot. However, the effects and pathways of childhood experiences on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults still remain unclear. Objective To analyze the effect of childhood socioeconomic status on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from a whole life cycle perspective, and explore promotion strategies for cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. Methods The China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) for 2010, 2012, and 2020 was used to construct a multiple mediated-effects model to investigate the mediating pathways of the effect of childhood socioeconomic status on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between various indicators. Results A total of 1 034 middle-aged and older adults with an average age of (62.33±9.89) years were included in this study. The childhood socioeconomic status score was (0.000±0.797), education level score was (1.970±1.111), social participation score was (1.150±0.967), depression status score was (5.960±4.681), and cognitive score was (0.000±1.000). Childhood socioeconomic status was positively correlated with education level, social participation, and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults (P