New research shows that only children are smarter, happier, and creative than those who grew up with their siblings.
“Contrary to the stereotype impression of the connections between them. [only children] We found that behavior in question was positively correlated with neurocognition and mental health,” the researchers wrote in a report published this week. Nature Human Behavior Journal.
A team of Chinese scientists evaluated a group of 7,186 people aged 18 to 30, using methods such as brain imaging, behavioral assessment, and socioeconomic and childhood trauma questionnaire, and included those with children and siblings.
MRI of the participants’ brains was performed to compare them Gray and whiteassists organizational responsibility thinking, reasoning, and body processing signals.
They revealed that being a sole child is associated with mental health, memory and “great language skills,” the team found.
Other ratings made by the team, including Jie Tang, Jing Zhang and Wei Li, found that only children showed higher “life satisfaction” and were more open and creative.
They found to be less impulsive Reward dependentlinked to other people’s approval.
“Coupled with more financial resources and increased parental availability, attention and responsiveness. [only children’s] Intellectual abilities, psychological well-being, mature social behavior,” the researchers wrote.
According to the report, these modifiable factors can affect most brain and behavioral outcomes, including maternal care and family support, with or without siblings.
Their work did not explain external factors such as interactions with cousins and classmates. And they pointed out why families may have only had one family, like financial factors, infertility, or later parents.
