From crier to high-flier

Character traits developed by children as young as ten are likely to determine their future paths to success or failure in life, according to research.

Youngsters who show 'internalising behaviour' - worrying, crying a lot, playing on their own and being fearful - tend to grow up to be highfliers.

They are also less likely to smoke, turn to crime or become a teenage parent.

But those who develop 'externalising behaviour' such as fidgeting, destroying their belongings, being disobedient or bullying are more likely to be unhappy as adults.

Children who steal, get into fights or tell lies tend to be unsuccessful and have a greater chance of being out of work, smoking and failing to vote in elections.

Meanwhile, youngsters who had plenty of self-esteem and good friendships with others have a better chance of enjoying success in adulthood.

The findings are part of a 30-year London University project which has been tracking the lives of 12,000 people born in 1970.

Professor John Bynner, who led the 1970 British Cohort Study, said the findings were 'quite remarkable' and 'highly significant'.

Similar studies have been carried out before but they have never looked in such detail at the social factors in youth that can predict success in later life.

The links between childhood difficulties and adult behaviour held firm even when the social class of the child was taken into consideration. Professor Bynner said that while the 'bad' traits in a child increased the likelihood of adult problems by only a few per cent, the effects across a population would be pronounced.

The research showed boys who blamed problems on others were more likely to achieve poor qualifications and have a low income, while those with poor reading had a higher chance of developing prejudices against other races.

Good maths skills in girls and good reading skills in boys were linked to greater happiness in adults.

In both sexes, good relations with other children meant less chance of depression as well as less chance of low income later life. For teenagers, no matter what the social class of their parents, getting involved in art, music, reading and writing for pleasure were all linked to raised earnings, as well as an increased likelihood of going to university and a greater propensity to take part in voluntary work.

The researchers believe that one reason for the eventual success of the children who prefer to play on their own could be that they are more likely to make their own decisions rather than to be swayed by peer pressure.

Professor Bynner said the findings showed success at school was not the only measure of future success.

He added: 'This shows the curriculum needs broadening away from narrow concerns of competence, more towards a wider sense of the pastoral aspects of children's lives and their social and personal development.'