Externalized behaviors, just like the cognitive, language, and social skills essential to children’s school readiness, tend to be passed down from one generation to the next.

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Although genetic and environmental factors are involved in the intergenerational transmission of these skills, very little is known about the biological mechanisms that may underlie these associations and their respective contributions, because few studies spanning multiple generations measure both biological factors and the functioning of both parents and children.

 

This project is part of the 3G (Three Generations) Study, the first large-scale intergenerational study in Quebec, which tracks the children of participants (who have since become parents) in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (ELDEQ).

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It aims to examine the associations between parental behaviors and the parent’s level of school readiness at age 5 and that of their child at the same age, as well as the genetic (polygenic score), neurophysiological, endocrinological (stress), cognitive, and sleep-related factors that underlie these associations.

 

Ultimately, this project will generate original insights into the biological mechanisms involved in the intergenerational transmission of behaviors and school readiness skills, with the aim of preventing the perpetuation of inequalities in education and health.​