Child Migration and School Achievement

The different psychological, neuropsychological and educational implications of the child migration are reported in this chapter. In the first section the psychological consequences of migration and the loss of the original country traditions and environment are discussed; in the second section the topic of influence of poverty on cognitive development is introduced, focusing on the role of chronic stress, frequently occurring in the migratory context, as mediator of this effect. Then we discuss the aspects of social relations, highlighting how social isolation can also have negative effects on cognitive development and academic success, and the important role of language as a social organizer. Finally we consider the development of the executive functions as moderating factors between socio-economic disadvantage and school achievement. In conclusion we assume that the key factor for transforming cognitive disadvantage into resilience seems to be the enhancement of the linguistic and executive function abilities. Hoping that authorities and nations may develop the best strategies, mainly in children, to guarantee the brain cognitive development through cultural and social integration.