Chapter 6. Conclusion isfaction about how they are financially managing, and the feeling of malaise in adulthood. Early reading skills significantly predict adult happiness in relationships at age 29, but this relationship becomes insignificant at later ages. Chapter 2 highlights the significance of early basic skills across multiple areas, though not in every area. Although early basic skills predict individuals’ satisfaction in life, this cannot be generalized to every domain. When asked whether early basic skills are important for satisfaction in life, the answer to this question should be yes, but nuanced. Part 2: How do basic skills develop? The second part of this dissertation analyzes the question how basic skills develop and consists of Chapters 3 and 4. Both chapters use Dutch data on reading, spelling, and math scores within primary education from grades one to six. Chapter 3 describes skill development throughout primary education and discusses achievement gaps. Chapter 4 analyzes the interplay between different skills within primary education. Chapter 3explores the following research question: To what extent does early skill proficiency relate to later skill proficiency? This dissertation demonstrates a strong link between early skill levels and those at the end of primary school, meaning that measurements of children’s skills taken at the beginning of their primary school period closely correspond to the measurements taken at the end of primary school. In other words, children who have higher skill levels early on tend to show higher skill levels at the end of primary school, while those with lower early skill levels tend to have lower skill levels later. 140
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