Smell at home linked to student achievement, survey says

By Staff Writer

Many past studies have examined a variety of factors that contribute to academic underachievement among children. However, a new study reveals a potential new cause: smell.

A recent report by the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation concludes that kids who perform well in school almost always describe their home's scent with words that are associated with being clean. Researchers surveyed nearly 5,000 high school students and asked them to describe the smell at home.

Approximately 84 percent of the teens who had A or B grade averages used words like "lemony," "minty" or "baked goods." Furthermore, one in every three adolescents who had a C or lower compared the scent to "urine," "fecal matter" or "mold."

A doctor who led the study said that there is a strong correlation between a stable, clean home and success in school. An official with The Clorox Company, a provider of cleaning products, said that the condition of one's home can significantly impact a child's self-esteem and personal habits.

Adolescents who struggle in school may benefit from boarding schools, many of which are designed to provide help for troubled teens.