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Brezetić S, Ručević S. Child's Externalizing and Internalizing Problems and Caregiver Strain: Mediation of Child's Executive Functions. Psychol Rep 2024:332941241295981. [PMID: 39438041 DOI: 10.1177/00332941241295981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2024]
Abstract
The aim of the study is to explore the role of child's executive functions in the relation between child's externalizing and internalizing problems and caregiver strain in early school age children. The caregiver strain refers to providing nurture and care for a dependent family member. A sample includes 175 caregiver-child dyads and 36 school teachers. Participants completed the Family Strain Index which measures caregiver strain or burden (caregivers), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire which measures child's externalizing and internalizing problems (teachers), and behavioral tasks that measure executive functions (children). Using structural equation modelling, the analysis resulted in a full mediation of the child's externalizing problems on the caregiver strain by child's executive functions. However, the association of child's internalizing problems with caregiver strain has not been confirmed. These results indicate that better child's executive functions buffer the negative effect of child's externalizing problems on caregiver perceived burden. Based on these results, we can suggest that interventions should be focused on programmes to improve the child's executive functions in the family and educational context, along with caregiver training aimed at providing emotional and social support, or individual therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Brezetić
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Silvija Ručević
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
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Ma X, Yang N, Huang M, Zhan S, Cao H, Jiang S. Relationships between gross motor skills, psychological resilience, executive function, and emotional regulation among Chinese rural preschoolers: A moderated mediation model. Heliyon 2024; 10:e38039. [PMID: 39364252 PMCID: PMC11447319 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Emotional regulation is a critical component of emotional intelligence, particularly during the preschool stage, a key period for children's development. Previous studies have demonstrated that executive function mediates the effect of gross motor skills on emotional understanding. However, studies specifically focusing on children from rural areas and investigating the role of psychological resilience are limited. The present study fills this knowledge gap by examining the effect of gross motor skills on emotional regulation and the roles of executive function and psychological resilience among Chinese rural preschool children. Methods This study included 430 children (aged 61.01 ± 6.98 months, 48.8 % boys) and their teachers from three rural preschools in China. Children's gross motor skills, including locomotor and object control skills, were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3. Executive function was measured using the Head-Toes-Knee-Shoulder task, and emotional regulation was assessed using the Emotional Regulation Checklist. Furthermore, psychological resilience was examined using the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment. Demographic information was collected, and the cross-sectional relationships between gross motor skills and emotional regulation were investigated through mediation and moderation analyses. Results Gross motor skills, executive function, and psychological resilience were associated with emotional regulation (p < 0.05), after controlling for sex, age, and only-child status. Executive function was found to mediate the relationship between gross motor skills and emotional regulation, with a mediation effect of 0.045. Psychological resilience moderated the relationship between executive function and emotional regulation (β = 0.078, p < 0.05). Simple slope analysis, based on categorizing psychological resilience into high, medium, and low groups, revealed that preschoolers with a higher level of psychological resilience exhibited a significantly stronger predictive effect of executive function on emotional regulation (β = 0.202, p < 0.01). Conclusions Gross motor skills significantly affect emotional regulation development in rural preschoolers, with executive function acting as a mediator in this relationship. Psychological resilience was found to moderate the effect of executive function on emotional regulation. The findings suggest that enhancing gross motor skills through physical activities can benefit children by promoting the development of executive function, which is crucial for emotional regulation. On the basis of our findings, we recommend focusing on cost-effective physical activity interventions for motor skills development among rural children while also addressing the development of executive function and psychological resilience. Future efforts should include workshops to improve physical literacy of parents and teachers regarding children's gross motor skills promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Ma
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Guangdong Teachers College of Foreign Languages and Arts, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Department of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Meixian Huang
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Guangdong Teachers College of Foreign Languages and Arts, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shuwei Zhan
- Department of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Houwen Cao
- School of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Veraksa A, Hasegawa M, Bukhalenkova D, Almazova O, Aslanova M, Matsumoto E. Comparison of executive functions in Russian and Japanese preschoolers. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1444564. [PMID: 39228877 PMCID: PMC11369708 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1444564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This study analyzed differences in level of main executive function (EF) components (such as inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) among Russian and Japanese preschoolers. The study involved 102 children of 5-6.9 years old: 51 child from Russia and 51 child from Japan. Out of 102 children 48 were boys and 54 girls. It was found that the cognitive flexibility level in Russian children is higher and inhibition level is lower than in Japanese children. The results of the boys' EF comparison showed that boys from Russia have lower cognitive and physical inhibition levels than boys from Japan. Also it was shown that cognitive flexibility in Russian girls is significantly higher and cognitive inhibition is lower than in Japanese girls. The results obtained are discussed from the point of view of possible cultural differences in the two countries studied, which are manifested in the expectations of adults from children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Veraksa
- Department of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy, Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mari Hasegawa
- Graduate School of Education, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Daria Bukhalenkova
- Department of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy, Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Almazova
- Department of Educational Psychology and Pedagogy, Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Margarita Aslanova
- Laboratory of Childhood Psychology and Digital Socialization, Federal Scientific Center for Psychological and Interdisciplinary Research, Moscow, Russia
| | - Emi Matsumoto
- Faculty of Education, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan
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Wong EH, Rosales KP, Looney L. Testing the Effectiveness of Computerized Cognitive Training on an At-Risk Student Population. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:711. [PMID: 39199107 PMCID: PMC11351393 DOI: 10.3390/bs14080711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Core constructs such as working memory, task switching, and processing speed in cognitive psychology research have prominent predictive roles in K12 students' academic performance. Specifically, considerable empirical work shows that variability in such capabilities is linked to differences in numerous academic outcomes. Moreover, there is an increasing awareness and acceptance of the malleability of cognitive abilities. Thus, an emerging strand of research focuses on the use of computerized cognitive training to improve cognitive skills. This project addresses this issue with high-risk students attending community day schools. An in-school cognitive training program implemented (for 30 min per day) at each school site resulted in improvements for working memory, task switching, and processing speed after six total hours of participation. The current results provide evidence for the changeability of what were once thought to be static skills. Equally important, this study highlights the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training and critically extends intervention-based work to a student group that has received little attention. Implications of this work for cognitive research and educational support programs are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin P. Rosales
- Department of Child Development, California State University, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA; (E.H.W.); (L.L.)
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Kramer HJ, Lara KH, Gweon H, Zaki J, Miramontes M, Lagattuta KH. This too shall pass, but when? Children's and adults' beliefs about the time duration of emotions, desires, and preferences. Child Dev 2024; 95:1299-1314. [PMID: 38334228 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
This research investigated children's and adults' understanding of the mind by assessing beliefs about the temporal features of mental states. English-speaking North American participants, varying in socioeconomic status (Study 1: N = 50 adults; Study 2: N = 112, 8- to 10-year-olds and adults; and Study 3: N = 116, 5- to 7-year-olds and adults; tested 2017-2022), estimated the duration (seconds to a lifetime) of emotions, desires (wanting), preferences (liking), and control trials (e.g., napping and having eyes). Participants were 56% female and 44% male; 32% Asian, 1% Black, 13% Hispanic/Latino, 38% White (non-Hispanic/Latino), and 16% multiracial or another race/ethnicity. Children and adults judged that preferences last longer than emotions and desires, with age differences in distinguishing specific emotions by duration (η p 2 s > .03 ). By 5 to 7 years, ideas about the mind include consideration of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J Kramer
- University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | | | - Jamil Zaki
- Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Li X, Lam CB, Chung KKH. Linking school- and classroom-level characteristics to child adjustment: A representative study of children from Hong Kong, China. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 94:661-679. [PMID: 38408763 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The school is one of the most salient developmental contexts for children. However, little is known about the associations linking the school environment to child adjustment in a non-Western context, not to mention the potential processes that may mediate these associations. AIMS This study examined the associations of school- and classroom-level characteristics with child adjustment and tested whether these associations were mediated by teacher-child relationship qualities. SAMPLE Cross-sectional data were collected on a representative sample of 1777 children (mean age = 55.14 months; 50% of them were girls) from 100 kindergartens in Hong Kong, China. METHODS Using self-reported questionnaires, teachers rated their school-level environments, their classroom chaos, their closeness and conflict with children and children's socioemotional competence and academic ability. Meanwhile, parents rated children's behavioural problems. RESULTS Multilevel structural equation modelling revealed that the school-level environment and classroom chaos were uniquely associated with children's socioemotional, behavioural and academic adjustment. Moreover, the associations of the school-level environment and classroom chaos with child socioemotional and academic adjustment were mediated by teacher-child closeness and conflict, whereas the associations of the school-level environment and classroom chaos with child behavioural problems were mediated by teacher-child conflict only. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicated how school- and classroom-level characteristics may be uniquely associated with child adjustment and how teacher-child relationships may be implicated in the underlying mechanism, highlighting the potential utility of targeting school- and classroom-level environments and teacher-child relationships in promoting child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Li
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Centre for Child and Family Science, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun Bun Lam
- Centre for Child and Family Science, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kevin Kien Hoa Chung
- Centre for Child and Family Science, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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López-Vallejo S, Burneo-Garcés C, Pérez-García M. Development of working memory and inhibitory control in early childhood: Cross-sectional analysis by age intervals and gender in Ecuadorian preschoolers. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299394. [PMID: 38743790 PMCID: PMC11093310 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) and inhibitory control (IC) play a crucial role in learning during early childhood. The literature suggests a non-linear developmental trajectory of executive functions (EFs) with varied results according to gender, usually attributed to environmental factors. However, there is insufficient and inconclusive data on whether this pattern is reproduced in the Latin American preschool population since most studies have been conducted in English-speaking, European, and Asian environments. Thus, objectively comparing children's executive performance across diverse international geographical contexts becomes challenging. This study aimed to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of the performance in WM and IC of 982 Ecuadorian preschoolers aged between 42 and 65 months (M = 53.71; SD = 5.714) and belonging to medium-high, medium, and low-medium socioeconomic strata. The participants consisted of 496 boys (M = 53.77; SD = 5.598) and 486 girls (M = 53.65; SD = 5.834), representing nine cities in Ecuador. To assess the effect of age and gender on performance in these two domains, the sample was divided into four 6-month age intervals. Two tests were administered to the participants, and a survey was conducted with 799 of their usual caregivers. Viewing the cross-sectional mean scores of the WM and IC tests as a temporal continuum reveals an upward trend in each age interval studied. Girls outperformed boys on the IC test, showing statistically significant differences in the earliest age interval. The gender differences in executive performance reported in the literature emphasize the need to explore the modulating effect of environmental variables on early childhood development. This information could offer valuable insights for adapting and optimizing cognitive and didactic strategies in early childhood tailored to the characteristics and needs of the preschool population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía López-Vallejo
- Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
- The Brain, Mind, and Behavior Research Center at the University of Granada (CIMCYC-UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Carlos Burneo-Garcés
- University of Otavalo, Dirección de Posgrado, Otavalo, Ecuador
- Escuela de Psicología, Universidad de las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Miguel Pérez-García
- Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain
- The Brain, Mind, and Behavior Research Center at the University of Granada (CIMCYC-UGR), Granada, Spain
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Durant K, Jarmulowicz L, Harrell-Williams L. Spanish Phonological Awareness in Kindergarten Uniquely Supports Second-Grade English Morphological Awareness in Spanish-English Dual Language Learners. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2024; 55:85-104. [PMID: 38010339 PMCID: PMC11001188 DOI: 10.1044/2023_lshss-23-00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study investigated the longitudinal, cross-linguistic developmental relationships of phonological awareness (PA), letter identification (letter ID), and morphological awareness (MA) in 71 heritage Spanish-English dual language learners (DLLs) in kindergarten and second grade. METHOD Multiple linear regression was used to test if kindergarten Spanish and English PA (sound elision and sound matching) and letter ID significantly predicted later English MA (oral derived word stress judgment, oral derivational morpheme blending, written derived word decomposition, and morphologically complex word spelling) performance in second grade. RESULTS Cross-linguistically, the PA skill of sound matching in kindergarten was the most reliable predictor of MA in second grade for Spanish-English DLLs. Spanish PA explained the majority of variation in oral MA skills in English. English PA was only uniquely predictive of written MA skills in English. CONCLUSIONS Both the cognitive operation of sound sequence manipulation in PA (elision or matching) and the modality of morpheme representation in MA (oral or written) appear to mediate the transfer of metalinguistic knowledge in Spanish-English DLL development in early elementary school. Results are discussed within the context of classroom practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Durant
- Speech Pathology and Audiology Program, Kent State University, OH
| | - Linda Jarmulowicz
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Memphis, TN
| | - Leigh Harrell-Williams
- Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, The University of Memphis, TN
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El Houari F, El Harch I, Idrissi AJ, El Fakir S, Zarhbouch B, Souirti Z. The Scale Assessment of Executive Functions-Adult (SAEF-A): Construction of a valid ecological instrument. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38170845 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2023.2299916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aims to validate the SAEF-A (Scale Assessment Of Executive Functions-Adult) test, a new instrument for measuring executive functions in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study participants are residents of Fez-Meknes over 18 years old. Two groups were enrolled: people with epilepsy and a healthy group. We constructed the tests in all three Moroccan languages: Darija, Tamazight, and Arabic. We validated the SAEF-A test according to Bernaud's instructions compared to the BRIEF-A test. RESULTS The Alpha Cronbach and Split Half were 92% and 88%, respectively. Exploratory research results highlight five facets of perceived value. Significant convergent validation existed between the BRIEF-A subscales and the SAEF-A scale. The results show that the people with epilepsy sample can be discriminated from the healthy ones in all dimensions, except planning, with a minor difference. CONCLUSIONS The results provide good reliability and validity for the SAEF-A. It will be helpful in studies of Moroccan adults and other people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah El Houari
- Sociology and Psychology Laboratory, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences Dhar Al Mahraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Ibtissam El Harch
- Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Fez, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Abdelkrim Janati Idrissi
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Samira El Fakir
- Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Fez, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Benaissa Zarhbouch
- Sociology and Psychology Laboratory, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences Dhar Al Mahraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Zouhayr Souirti
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
- Neurology Department, Sleep Center Hassan II University Hospital, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
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Ding N, Miller R, Clayton NS. Inhibition and cognitive flexibility are related to prediction of one's own future preferences in young British and Chinese children. Cognition 2023; 236:105433. [PMID: 37001438 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The ability to shift from current to future perspective is pivotal to future-oriented cognition. With two distinct cultural groups, UK (N = 92) and China (N = 90), we investigated 3 to 5-year-olds' understanding of preference changes occurring within themselves and their peers (another child). We administered a battery of representative tasks of executive function and theory of mind to examine their underlying relationships with children's ability to predict future preferences. British 3-year-olds outperformed Chinese children in predicting future preferences, while no country differences were observed between the 4- and 5-year-olds. Across the UK and China, children were more accurate when predicting for their peers than for themselves. They were also more accurate when their current preferences were identified first, i.e. before answering questions about the future. Chinese children outperformed their British counterparts on inhibition and cognitive flexibility tasks whereas there were no Eastern and Western differences in their theory of mind abilities. After controlling for age and children's knowledge of generic adult preferences, children's performance in the inhibition and cognitive flexibility tasks were significantly correlated with the prediction of their own future preferences, but they were not significantly correlated when predicting for a peer. These results are discussed in relation to the conflicts between multiple perspectives and the cognitive correlates of future-oriented cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ding
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Rachael Miller
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicola S Clayton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Rachel M, Jia H, Amina A, Perez-Garcia M, Kumar M, Wicherts JM. Psychometric evaluation of the computerized battery for neuropsychological evaluation of children (BENCI) among school aged children in the context of HIV in an urban Kenyan setting. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:373. [PMID: 37248481 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04880-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Culturally validated neurocognitive measures for children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries are important in the timely and correct identification of neurocognitive impairments. Such measures can inform development of interventions for children exposed to additional vulnerabilities like HIV infection. The Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI) is an openly available, computerized neuropsychological battery specifically developed to evaluate neurocognitive impairment. This study adapted the BENCI and evaluated its reliability and validity in Kenya. METHODOLOGY The BENCI was adapted using translation and back-translation from Spanish to English. The psychometric properties were evaluated in a case-control study of 328 children (aged 6 - 14 years) living with HIV and 260 children not living with HIV in Kenya. We assessed reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance with respect to HIV. Additionally, we examined convergent validity of the BENCI using tests from the Kilifi Toolkit. RESULTS Internal consistencies (0.49 < α < 0.97) and test-retest reliabilities (-.34 to .81) were sufficient-to-good for most of the subtests. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between the BENCI's Verbal memory and Kilifi's Verbal List Learning (r = .41), the BENCI's Visual memory and Kilifi's Verbal List Learning (r = .32) and the BENCI's Planning total time test and Kilifi's Tower Test (r = -.21) and the BENCI's Abstract Reasoning test and Kilifi's Raven's Progressive Matrix (r = .21). The BENCI subtests highlighted meaningful differences between children living with HIV and those not living with HIV. After some minor adaptions, a confirmatory four-factor model consisting of flexibility, fluency, reasoning and working memory fitted well (χ2 = 135.57, DF = 51, N = 604, p < .001, RMSEA = .052, CFI = .944, TLI = .914) and was partially scalar invariant between HIV positive and negative groups. CONCLUSION The English version of the BENCI formally translated for use in Kenya can be further adapted and integrated in clinical and research settings as a valid and reliable cognitive test battery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maina Rachel
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands.
- Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, 10834-00400, Kenya.
| | - He Jia
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Abubakar Amina
- Institute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Miguel Perez-Garcia
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Manasi Kumar
- Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, 10834-00400, Kenya
| | - Jelte M Wicherts
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
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Privitera AJ, Zhou Y, Xie X. Inhibitory control as a significant predictor of academic performance in Chinese high schoolers. Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:457-473. [PMID: 35816416 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2098941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Studies investigating the relationship between cognitive function and academic performance have recently shifted focus from differences in intelligence to executive function. To date, these studies have focused disproportionately on samples recruited from Western countries, despite evidence in support of cultural differences in the development of executive function. To address this gap, the present study investigated whether differences in two dimensions of executive function, inhibitory and attentional control, could predict academic performance in a sample of Chinese adolescents (n = 42). Participants reported on demographic details and completed both the Simon task and Attention Network Test. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression controlling for gender, age, SES, English language proficiency, processing speed, and fluid intelligence. Results showed that one index of inhibitory control derived from non-cue trials on the Attention Network Test explained a significant amount of unique variance in academic performance. Our findings provide evidence that executive function, specifically inhibitory control, plays a significant role in academic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam John Privitera
- College of Liberal Arts, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China.,Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Xiaoyi Xie
- College of Liberal Arts, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
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Hughes C, Foley S, Browne W, McHarg G, Devine RT. Developmental links between executive function and emotion regulation in early toddlerhood. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 71:101782. [PMID: 36796156 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Developmental associations between poor executive function (EF) and problem behaviors in toddlerhood indicate that the interplay between cognition and affect begins very early in life (Hughes, Devine, Mesman, & Blair, 2020). However, very few longitudinal studies of toddlers have included direct measures of both EF and emotion regulation (ER). In addition, while models of ER highlight the importance of situational contexts (e.g., Miller, McDonough, Rosenblum, Sameroff, 2005), existing work is limited by a heavy reliance on lab-based observations of mother-child dyads. Addressing these twin gaps, the current study of 197 families included video-based ratings of ER in toddlers' dyadic play with both mothers and fathers at each of two time-points (14- and 24-months), with parallel measures of EF being gathered in each home visit. Our cross-lagged analyses showed that EF at 14 months predicted ER at 24 months, but this association was limited to observations of toddlers with mothers. It was also asymmetric: ER at 14 months did not predict EF at 24 months. These findings support co-regulation models of early ER and highlight the predictive utility of very early individual differences in EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Hughes
- Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, UK.
| | - Sarah Foley
- Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Wendy Browne
- Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Rory T Devine
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Gaskins S, Alcalá L. Studying Executive Function in Culturally Meaningful Ways. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2160722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Gaskins
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, USA
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15
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Likhitweerawong N, Khorana J, Boonchooduang N, Phinyo P, Patumanond J, Louthrenoo O. Associated biological and environmental factors of impaired executive function in
preschool‐aged
children: A
population‐based
study. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Narueporn Likhitweerawong
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
| | - Jiraporn Khorana
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Clinical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
- Clinical Surgical Research Center, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
| | - Nonglak Boonchooduang
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
| | - Phichayut Phinyo
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Clinical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
| | - Jayanton Patumanond
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Clinical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
| | - Orawan Louthrenoo
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Chiang Mai University Chiang Mai Thailand
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16
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McGuckian TB, Wilson PH, Johnston RD, Rahimi-Golkhandan S, Piek J, Green D, Rogers JM, Maruff P, Steenbergen B, Ruddock S. Development of complex executive function over childhood: Longitudinal growth curve modeling of performance on the Groton Maze Learning Task. Child Dev 2023; 94:648-658. [PMID: 36593650 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
This longitudinal study modeled children's complex executive function (EF) development using the Groton Maze Learning Task (GMLT). Using a cohort-sequential design, 147 children (61 males, 5.5-11 years) were recruited from six multicultural primary schools in Melbourne and Perth, Australia. Race/ethnicity data were not available. Children were assessed on the GMLT at 6-month intervals over 2-years between 2010 and 2012. Growth curve models describe age-related change from 5.5 to 12.5 years old. Results showed a quadratic growth trajectory on each measure of error-that is, those that reflect visuospatial memory, executive control (or the ability to apply rules for action), and complex EF. The ability to apply rules for action, while a rate-limiting factor in complex EF, develops rapidly over early-to-mid childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B McGuckian
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter H Wilson
- Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rich D Johnston
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies (SPRINT) Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Carnegie Applied Rugby Research Centre, Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | - Shahin Rahimi-Golkhandan
- School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jan Piek
- Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Dido Green
- Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.,Brunel University, London, UK
| | | | - Paul Maruff
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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17
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Niebaum JC, Munakata Y. Why doesn't executive function training improve academic achievement? Rethinking individual differences, relevance, and engagement from a contextual framework. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022; 24:241-259. [PMID: 37457760 PMCID: PMC10348702 DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2160723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Performance on lab assessments of executive functions predicts academic achievement and other positive life outcomes. A primary goal of research on executive functions has been to design interventions that improve outcomes like academic achievement by improving executive functions. These interventions typically involve extensive practice on abstract lab-based tasks and lead to improvements on these practiced tasks. However, interventions rarely improve performance on non-practiced tasks and rarely benefit outcomes like academic achievement. Contemporary frameworks of executive function development suggest that executive functions develop and are engaged within personal, social, historical, and cultural contexts. Abstract lab-based tasks do not well-capture the real-world contexts that require executive functions and should not be expected to provide generalized benefits outside of the lab. We propose a perspective for understanding individual differences in performance on executive function assessments that focuses on contextual influences on executive functions. We extend this contextual approach to training executive function engagement, rather than training executive functions directly. First, interventions should incorporate task content that is contextually relevant to the targeted outcome. Second, interventions should encourage engaging executive functions through reinforcement and contextual relevance, which may better translate to real-world outcomes than training executive functions directly. While such individualized executive functions interventions do not address systemic factors that greatly impact outcomes like academic achievement, given the extensive resources devoted to improving executive functions, we hypothesize that interventions designed to encourage children's engagement of executive functions hold more promise for impacting real-world outcomes than interventions designed to improve executive function capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuko Munakata
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
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18
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Forbes SH, Aneja P, Guest O. The myth of normative development. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Prerna Aneja
- School of Psychology University of East Anglia Norwich UK
| | - Olivia Guest
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
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19
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Zelazo PD, Carlson SM. Reconciling the Context-Dependency and Domain-Generality of Executive Function Skills from a Developmental Systems Perspective. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2156515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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20
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Segura IA, Panjeh S, Cogo-Moreira H, Nouri A, Miranda MC, Esmaeili F, Seyedi H, Pompéia S. Fractionation of executive functions in adolescents from Iran: invariance across age and socioeconomic status. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03974-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractExecutive functions (EFs) are cognitive skills that regulate thoughts and behavior. The seminal EF unity and diversity theoretical framework proposes the existence of three correlated EF latent domains (inhibition, updating, and switching) that become distinguishable from a certain moment during adolescence, but it is unclear how age and socioeconomic status (SES) affect these abilities. Here, we assessed 407 9-15-year-old Iranians of variable SES using an open-access battery of executive function tests that includes two tasks of each EF domain and allows for sociocultural adaptations regarding language and stimuli. Various EF model configurations proposed in the literature were tested (one, two and three EF latent factor, nested and bifactor-S-1 models) using confirmatory factor analyses. In addition, to explore the unbiased effects of age and SES, we performed invariance testing (across age and SES) using multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model to the best fitting model solution. The three-correlated EF factor model had the best fit and was mostly invariant across age and SES, with all three EF latent traits improving with age, while SES exerted only minimal positive effects on shifting and updating. We concluded that the three separable EF domains, found in adults and adolescents of other ages from different populations, can already be detected from the beginning of adolescence when culturally and psychometrically appropriate EF tasks are used. Additionally, these abilities continue to improve with age and are little affected by SES, suggesting that the unity and diversity framework is useful to study the cross-country generality of EF development.
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21
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Tepper DL, Howell TJ, Bennett PC. Executive functions and household chores: Does engagement in chores predict children's cognition? Aust Occup Ther J 2022; 69:585-598. [PMID: 35640882 PMCID: PMC9796572 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1630.12822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The benefits of completing household chores appear to transfer beyond managing day-to-day living. It is possible that chore engagement may improve executive functions, as engagement in chores require individuals to plan, self-regulate, switch between tasks, and remember instructions. To date, little research has been conducted on household chores and executive functions in children, for whom these skills are still developing. METHODS Parents and guardians (N = 207) of children aged 5-13 years (M = 9.38, SD = 2.15) were asked to complete parent-report questionnaires on their child's engagement in household chores and their child's executive functioning. RESULTS Results of the regression model indicated that engagement in self-care chores (e.g., making self a meal) and family-care chores (e.g., making someone else a meal) significantly predicted working memory and inhibition, after controlling for the influence of age, gender, and presence or absence of a disability. For families with a pet, there was no significant relationship between engagement in pet-care chores and executive function skills. CONCLUSION We strongly recommend that further research explore the relationship between chores and executive functions. It is possible that parents may be able to facilitate their child's executive function development through encouraging participation in chores, whereas chore-based interventions (e.g., cooking programmes) may also be used to target deficits in ability.
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22
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Schirmbeck K, Runge R, Rao N, Wang R, Richards B, Chan SWY, Maehler C. Assessing executive functions in preschoolers in Germany and Hong Kong: testing for measurement invariance. JOURNAL OF CULTURAL COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s41809-022-00112-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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23
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Beckmann J, Nqweniso S, Ludyga S, du Randt R, Gresse A, Long KZ, Nienaber M, Seelig H, Pühse U, Steinmann P, Utzinger J, Walter C, Gerber M, Lang C. Evaluation of a Physical Activity and Multi-Micronutrient Intervention on Cognitive and Academic Performance in South African Primary Schoolchildren. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14132609. [PMID: 35807790 PMCID: PMC9268611 DOI: 10.3390/nu14132609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) are essential for optimal academic development. Appropriate nutrition and physical activity (PA) have been shown to facilitate optimal cognitive development. Therefore, this study examined whether a 12-week school-based PA and multi-micronutrient supplementation (MMNS) intervention would improve cognitive and academic performance. A cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. Children from four schools located in a peri-urban area of South Africa were randomly assigned to (i) PA + MMNS, (ii) PA + placebo, (iii) MMNS or (iv) placebo. Information processing and inhibitory control were measured with a computerized Flanker task. End-of-year results provided insight into academic achievement. Anthropometric measures were used to determine nutritional status. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-models, adjusting for baseline scores, school classes and age; 932 children (458 girls (49.1%), Mage (mean age) = 8.42 ± 1.94 years) completed baseline and post-intervention assessments. Cognitive performance improved among all four groups, with no significant group × time effects. For academic achievement, there was no significant interaction effect between the combined intervention group and placebo. We encourage future studies in this neglected area in order to determine the most optimal design of school-based nutrition and PA programs to enhance overall cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Beckmann
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; (S.L.); (H.S.); (U.P.); (M.G.); (C.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Siphesihle Nqweniso
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6011, South Africa; (S.N.); (R.d.R.); (M.N.); (C.W.)
| | - Sebastian Ludyga
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; (S.L.); (H.S.); (U.P.); (M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Rosa du Randt
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6011, South Africa; (S.N.); (R.d.R.); (M.N.); (C.W.)
| | - Annelie Gresse
- Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6031, South Africa;
| | - Kurt Z. Long
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland; (K.Z.L.); (P.S.); (J.U.)
| | - Madeleine Nienaber
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6011, South Africa; (S.N.); (R.d.R.); (M.N.); (C.W.)
| | - Harald Seelig
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; (S.L.); (H.S.); (U.P.); (M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Uwe Pühse
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; (S.L.); (H.S.); (U.P.); (M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Peter Steinmann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland; (K.Z.L.); (P.S.); (J.U.)
| | - Jürg Utzinger
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland; (K.Z.L.); (P.S.); (J.U.)
| | - Cheryl Walter
- Department of Human Movement Science, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6011, South Africa; (S.N.); (R.d.R.); (M.N.); (C.W.)
| | - Markus Gerber
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; (S.L.); (H.S.); (U.P.); (M.G.); (C.L.)
| | - Christin Lang
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; (S.L.); (H.S.); (U.P.); (M.G.); (C.L.)
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24
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Lan X. Perceived parenting styles, cognitive flexibility, and prosocial behavior in Chinese Youth with an immigrant background: A three-group comparison. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03140-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Previous research has revealed cross-cultural differences in parenting styles and in how these may relate to adolescents’ prosocial behavior. Nevertheless, little is known about the role of cognitive flexibility – a key component of executive function –and the immigration context in these associations. Using a person-centered approach, the current study aimed to (1) explore perceived parenting profiles among Chinese immigrant-origin youth in Italy in comparison to their nonimmigrant ethnic majority peers in the country of origin (China) and in the country of destination (Italy), and (2) examine the moderating role of cognitive flexibility in the expected parenting-prosocial behavior link in the three cultural groups. Participants (N = 444; M (Age) = 11.88 years; SD = 1.08; 50.7% girls; 27.4% Chinese immigrant-origin, 35.4% Chinese ethnic majority; 37.2% Italian ethnic majority) completed a parenting questionnaire and a computerized cognitive flexibility task, while teachers rated their prosocial behavior. Latent profile analysis revealed three perceived parenting styles: “harsh” (15.8%), “supportive” (40.5%), and “strict-affectionate” (43.7%). Chinese immigrant-origin, Italian ethnic majority, and Chinese ethnic majority youths were overrepresented in each of these profiles, respectively. In regression analyses, the association between parenting profiles and prosocial behavior varied as a function of adolescents’ cognitive flexibility and cultural group. Specifically, cognitive flexibility strengthened the supportive parenting-prosocial behavior link for Chinese immigrant-origin youth, and buffered against the detrimental effect of harsh parenting on prosocial behavior for their Italian ethnic majority peers. Findings emphasize the influence of cultural and immigration-related factors on adolescents’ perceived parenting styles, and provide further evidence for the beneficial role of cognitive flexibility in the positive adjustment of youth with and without an immigrant background.
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25
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Scharpf F, Mueller SC, Hecker T. The executive functioning of Burundian refugee youth: Associations with individual, family and community factors. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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26
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Children across societies enforce conventional norms but in culturally variable ways. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2112521118. [PMID: 34969840 PMCID: PMC8740750 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112521118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals in all societies conform to their cultural group's conventional norms, from how to dress on certain occasions to how to play certain games. It is an open question, however, whether individuals in all societies actively enforce the group's conventional norms when others break them. We investigated third-party enforcement of conventional norms in 5- to 8-y-old children (n = 376) from eight diverse small-scale and large-scale societies. Children learned the rules for playing a new sorting game and then, observed a peer who was apparently breaking them. Across societies, observer children intervened frequently to correct their misguided peer (i.e., more frequently than when the peer was following the rules). However, both the magnitude and the style of interventions varied across societies. Detailed analyses of children's interactions revealed societal differences in children's verbal protest styles as well as in their use of actions, gestures, and nonverbal expressions to intervene. Observers' interventions predicted whether their peer adopted the observer's sorting rule. Enforcement of conventional norms appears to be an early emerging human universal that comes to be expressed in culturally variable ways.
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Panesi S, Morra S. The relation between drawing and language in preschoolers: The role of working Memory and executive functions. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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28
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Waiting for the better reward: Comparison of delay of gratification in young children across two cultures. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256966. [PMID: 34478467 PMCID: PMC8415579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Delay of gratification-a form of self-control-is the ability to forsake immediately available rewards in order to obtain larger-valued outcomes in future, which develops throughout the pre-school years. The majority of previous research in this area has been conducted with Western populations, therefore knowledge of Eastern children's performance is scarcer. Here, utilising on a recently published dataset of British children (n = 61), we further tested delay of gratification in 3 to 5-year-old Chinese children (n = 75) using Bramlett et al.'s (2012) delay choice paradigm. The paradigm was previously used in non-human primates and it featured a mechanized rotating tray that sequentially moves rewards within reach. Additionally, we administered 3 inhibitory control tasks and 1 standardised delay choice task to Chinese pre-schoolers (British children were not tested). We aimed to investigate the influence of culture, reward type and reward visibility on pre-schoolers' ability to delay gratification. We found significant age-related improvements in delay of gratification ability in both countries and children performed better when presented with rewards varying in quality than quantity. Consistent with previous cross-cultural literature, Chinese children showed better overall performance than their British peers when reward visibility was manipulated (though reward visibility itself had no significant effect on performance). There were significant correlations in Chinese children's performance in Bramlett et al.'s (2012) delay choice paradigm and performance in some (though not all tested) inhibitory control tasks. We discuss these results in relation to task demands and the broader social orientation of self-control. We concluded that the intuitive comparative assessment of self-control task taps into children's delay of gratification ability. Our results emphasize the importance of testing for socio-cultural influences on children's cognitive development.
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29
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Moriguchi Y. Beyond bias to Western participants, authors, and editors in developmental science. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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31
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Opriş AM, Cheie L, Visu-Petra L. Back to the future: relating the development of episodic future thinking to cognitive and affective individual differences and to motivational relevance in preschoolers. Memory 2021; 29:362-378. [PMID: 33706674 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2021.1896734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Episodic future thinking (EFT) represents the ability to mentally simulate scenarios that will occur in our personal future. In the current study, we used the item choice paradigm, which puts chidren in a problematic situation and requires them to envision a solution by selecting one of various items. This ability was assessed in a sample of 92 preschoolers (3-6 years old), taking into account individual differences in age, gender, cognitive (verbal abilities, EFT memory) and affective (anxiety) factors, as well as contextual factors (motivational relevance). Findings indicate developmental progress in preschoolers' foresight and in their retrospective memory for the item choice problems. The motivational valence of the EFT task played a significant role, as children performed better in the motivationally positive condition, as compared to the neutral and negative ones. However, older children had better performance than younger ones on the motivationally aversive tasks, becoming comparable to their performance in the motivationally appetitive condition. Finally, higher social anxiety was negatively related to children's EFT performance in the aversive condition, when they anticipated negative social exposure. In conclusion, EFT was explained by age-related improvements, the motivational valence of the situation and by individual differences in social anxiety, which is highly relevant for educational and therapeutic practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Opriş
- Research in Individual Differences and Legal Psychology (RIDDLE) Lab, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lavinia Cheie
- Research in Individual Differences and Legal Psychology (RIDDLE) Lab, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Laura Visu-Petra
- Research in Individual Differences and Legal Psychology (RIDDLE) Lab, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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32
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Teacher–child interaction quality and children's
self‐regulation
in toddler classrooms in Finland and Portugal. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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33
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Senzaki S, Pott U, Shinohara I, Moriguchi Y. Roles of culture and COMT Val58Met gene on neural basis of executive function: A comparison between Japanese and American children. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1053-1060. [PMID: 33438225 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The development of executive functions (EF) is shaped by both genetic and environmental factors, including cultural background. Genetically, variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism has been linked to EF performance and differential regulation of prefrontal cortex activity. Based on the gene-culture interaction framework, we tested whether culture would moderate the association between the COMT gene and young children's behavioral responses and neural activities during a cognitive-shifting EF task. The children who participated in this study were 5- to 6-year-olds in Japan (n = 44) and in the U.S. (n = 47). The results revealed that U.S.-American children exhibited stronger activations than Japanese children in the right dorsolateral and bilateral prefrontal cortex regions. In addition, the children's genetic disposition and EF performance were marginally moderated by culture, with Val homozygote Japanese children performing better than Met-allele carriers, whereas no such differences were found in U.S.-American children. We have discussed the theoretical and empirical implications of the construction of a more complete understanding of EF development by incorporating both genetic and socio-cultural factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawa Senzaki
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA
| | - Uwe Pott
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA
| | - Ikuko Shinohara
- National Institute for Educational Policy Research of Japan, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Moriguchi
- Joetsu University of Education, Joetsu, Japan.,Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Contrasting executive function development among primary school children from Hong Kong and Germany. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10212-020-00519-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPrevious research findings indicate that young children from East Asia outperform their counterparts from Europe and North America on executive function (EF) tasks. However, very few cross-national studies have focused on EF development during middle childhood. The current study assessed the EF performance of 170 children in grades 2 and 4 from Hong Kong (n = 80) and Germany (n = 90) in a cross-sectional design. Children completed tasks assessing the main components of EF, namely inhibition (child-friendly Stroop task), updating (Object Span task), and shifting (Contingency Naming task). Results of multilevel models showed that all three EF measures differentiated well between younger and older children across the full sample. However, contrary to our hypothesis and previous research, we did not find any significant differences in EF performance between children from Hong Kong and Germany at primary school age. Our findings highlight the possibility that issues related to the measurement of EF and features specific to Hong Kong and Germany underlie our results.
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35
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Lenes R, Gonzales CR, Størksen I, McClelland MM. Children's Self-Regulation in Norway and the United States: The Role of Mother's Education and Child Gender Across Cultural Contexts. Front Psychol 2020; 11:566208. [PMID: 33132970 PMCID: PMC7550693 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-regulation develops rapidly during the years before formal schooling, and it helps lay the foundation for children’s later social, academic, and educational outcomes. However, children’s self-regulation may be influenced by cultural contexts, sociodemographic factors, and characteristics of the child. The present study investigates whether children’s levels of self-regulation, as measured by the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS) task, are the same in samples from Norway (Mage = 5.79; N = 243, 49.4% girls) and the United States (U.S.) (Mage = 5.65; N = 264, 50.8% girls) and whether the role of mother’s education level and child gender on children’s self-regulation differ across the two samples. Results showed that Norwegian and U.S. children had similar levels of self-regulation. Mother’s education level significantly predicted children’s self-regulation in the U.S. sample but not in the Norwegian sample, and this difference across samples was significant. Girls had a significantly higher level of self-regulation than boys in the Norwegian sample, but there were no gender differences in the U.S. sample. However, the effect of child gender on self-regulation did not differ significantly across the two samples. Results highlight the importance of cross-cultural studies of self-regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragnhild Lenes
- Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | | | - Ingunn Størksen
- Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Megan M McClelland
- Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nathaniel R. Riggs
- Human Development and Family StudiesColorado State University Fort Collins Colorado
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