Children from low socioeconomic status (SES) adopted into high SES families typically improve their IQ scores by which range?

Children from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds adopted into high SES families typically show significant improvements in their IQ scores, often within the range of 10-15 points. This improvement can be attributed to a variety of factors associated with the enriched environments found in higher SES households, including better access to educational resources, stimulating activities, and overall improved emotional and social support.

The transition to a high SES environment often provides children with advantages such as more individual attention, exposure to new ideas and experiences, and opportunities for cognitive development that may not have been available in their previous settings. These environmental changes can contribute significantly to cognitive growth and therefore to measurable gains in IQ.

While improvements may vary among individuals, the most commonly documented range for such gains in intelligence when moving to a more resource-rich environment is generally found around 10 to 15 points, aligning with the significant yet realistic expectations of cognitive development afforded by such a transition.