What Are the Effects of Wealthiness on Teens?

Intellect

• The support provided for children by wealthy parents often involves expansive learning opportunities that can build intellect and help a teen learn more, states professor and author Daniel T. Willingham, with the University of Virginia. Affluent families often provide youngsters with expensive computers, books, access to private tutors and even travel opportunities that enable firsthand exploration and learning about a variety of different cultures. Long-term stress, often associated with poverty, can have a negative effect on cognitive development, states the Future of Children website. Conversely, children who do not experience a negative home environment because the family has financial security might have comparatively stronger cognitive development.

Testing and Education

• Students from wealthy families often score better on mathematics and reading national achievement tests. Students from families struggling financially might score lower on national tests by 10 percent or more, according to J.L. Hothschild, author of ̶0;Social Class in Public Schools,̶1; as stated on the American Psychological Association website. The dropout rate for high school impoverished students is increasing, as well.

Parental Engagement

• Wealthy parents often invest not only tangible benefits in children but also intangible benefits as well. Because wealthy parents tend to spend more quality time with offspring, this connectivity can increase self-esteem and even improve a child̵7;s goals and achievements. Wealthy parents often seem to understand the importance of spending time with children, and this quality time translates into kids feeling more trusting toward parents and other adults in authority.

Substance Abuse

• The stereotypical image of low-income teens resorting to drugs and alcohol often rings true. However, adolescents from affluent families also have a risk of developing substance abuse issues as adults, according to a University of Chicago study, presented by the Betty Ford Institute. Wealthier teens may engage in binge drinking, marijuana use and cocaine use. The presence of extra spending money might make substance use and abuse more accessible for wealthy adolescents and young adults.