Academic Success and Mental Health: The Paradox of Frontoparietal-Default Mode Network Coupling

Strategic Insights -

Research highlights the complex relationship between academic success and mental health in children living in poverty. A new study published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience found that children in poverty who excel academically may be at a higher risk for developing internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. The study analyzed data from 10,829 children in the ABCD study, a large longitudinal study of brain development and child health.

Key Takeaways:

  • Children in poverty who excel academically may be at a higher risk for developing internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression.
  • Higher grades correlated with fewer internalizing symptoms concurrently, but this association was more pronounced for children below poverty.
  • Longitudinally, higher LFPN-DMN (Frontoparietal-Default Mode Network) related to more internalizing symptoms two years later for children in poverty, particularly.
  • The study suggests that the pattern of LFPN-DMN connectivity that supports academic resilience among children in poverty may be a risk factor for developing internalizing symptoms.
  • The findings highlight the complex nature of academic resilience in the context of structural inequity.
  • The study used data from the 10,829 children in the ABCD study, with 1931 in poverty, across four time points (ages 9-13).
  • The research was conducted by Silvia A. Bunge and co-authors, including Selina Pacheco and Monica E. Ellwood-Lowe, from the University of California, Berkeley.

Statistics:

  • 10,829 children participated in the ABCD study, with 1931 in poverty.
  • The study analyzed data across four time points (ages 9-13).
  • Children in poverty who excel academically had higher LFPN-DMN (Frontoparietal-Default Mode Network) connectivity, which correlated with more internalizing symptoms two years later.
  • The study found that higher grades correlated with fewer internalizing symptoms concurrently, but this association was more pronounced for children below poverty.
  • The research used data from the ABCD study, which is a large longitudinal study of brain development and child health.

Sources:

  • Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. (2025). Academic success and mental health: The paradox of Frontoparietal-Default Mode Network coupling among children facing poverty, 76, 101618.
  • The University of California, Berkeley. Department of Psychology. (2025). Faculty and Research.
  • The ABCD Study (2025). About the ABCD Study.
  • The ABIDE Consortium (2025). About ABIDE.
  • Mental Health Weekly Digest (2025). October 20, 2025; p 595.