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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Illness

Overview

  • Influence: Illness
  • Domain: Student
  • Sub-Domain: Physical influences
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Likely to have a negative impact
  • Influence Definition: Illness is defined as a disease or period of sickness affecting the body or mind. Chronic illnesses, such as iodine deficiency or asthma, or chronic physical diseases, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Also includes diabetes, asthma, brain injury, cleft lip, or sickle cell disease.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 6
  • Number of studies: 913
  • Number of students: 48,282
  • Number of effects: 982
  • Weighted mean effect size: -0.51
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Journal of Pediatric Psychology Sharpe & Rossiter Siblings of children with a chronic illness: A meta-analysis 2002 Chronic illness on achievement 7 NA 7 -0.20
Journal of Pediatric Psychology Pinquart & Teubert Academic, Physical, and Social Functioning of Children and Adolescents with Chronic Physical Illness: A Meta-Analysis 2011 Chronic illness on achievement 824 37,134 824 -0.53
Diabetes Care Gaudieri, Chen, Greer & Holmes Cognitive function in children with type 1 diabetes: a meta-analysis 2008 Diabetes vs. Non diabetic on achievement 19 2,144 19 -0.13
Nutrients Bougma, Aboud, Harding & Marquis Iodine and Mental Development of Children 5 Years Old and Under: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 2013 Iodine deficiency on academic achievement 24 NA 24 -0.49
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology Irani, Barbone, Beausoleil, & Gerald Is Asthma Associated with Cognitive Impairments? A Meta-Analytic Review 2017 Asthma vs. Controls students 15 NA 15 -0.33
Journal of Pediatric Psychology Naguib, Kulinskaya, Lomax & Garralda Neuro-cognitive performance in children with type 1 diabetes—a meta-analysis 2009 Diabetic vs Non diabetic on achievement 24 9,004 93 -0.21
TOTAL/AVERAGE 913 48,282 982 -0.31
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