The influence of health upon intelligence and school grades of high school pupils

Abstract

A survey of 450 high school students "in a normally healthy community" shows that 91% of all pupils were afflicted with one or more health defects. School grades (number of points per semester) are affected by health defect when intelligence (Terman Group Test of Mental Ability) is held constant. Children with IQ's above 115 are more acutely affected by health than are those with lower intelligence quotients; this finding is particularly evident with the group having defective teeth. A plea is made for greater cooperation among school physicians, dentists, nurses, and psychologists in providing adequate physical and mental care for school children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)