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Schäfer J, Reuter T, Leuchter M, Karbach J. Validation of new tablet-based problem-solving tasks in primary school students. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0309718. [PMID: 39208270 PMCID: PMC11361650 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Problem-solving is an important skill that is associated with reasoning abilities, action control and academic success. Nevertheless, empirical evidence on cognitive correlates of problem-solving performance in childhood is limited. Appropriate assessment tools are scarce and existing analog tasks require extensive coding. Thus, we developed and validated new tablet-based versions of existing analog tasks assessing technical problem-solving with gear construction tasks. To validate these tasks, 215 children (6-8 years) performed the problem-solving tasks in both modalities (analog, digital). To investigate whether performances in both modalities were correlated with other cognitive abilities, participants performed three additional tasks assessing language, reasoning and problem-solving. Structural equation modelling showed that performance was substantially correlated across modalities and also correlated with language, reasoning and another problem-solving task, showing the convergent validity of the digital tasks. We also found scalar measurement invariance across task modalities indicating that both task versions can be used interchangeably. We conclude that both versions (analog and digital) draw on similar cognitive resources and abilities. The analog tasks were thus successfully transferred to a digital platform. The new tasks offer the immense benefits of digital data collection, provide a valid measuring tool advancing problem-solving research in childhood and facilitate the application in the field, e.g., in the classroom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Schäfer
- Department of Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
- Institute for Child and Youth Education, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Timo Reuter
- Institute for Child and Youth Education, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Miriam Leuchter
- Institute for Child and Youth Education, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
- Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt, Germany
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Enke S, Gunzenhauser C, Johann VE, Karbach J, Saalbach H. “Hot” executive functions are comparable across monolingual and bilingual elementary school children: Results from a study with the Iowa Gambling Task. Front Psychol 2022; 13:988609. [PMID: 36148119 PMCID: PMC9486539 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.988609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Past research found performance differences between monolingual and bilingual children in the domain of executive functions (EF). Furthermore, recent studies have reported advantages in processing efficiency or mental effort in bilingual adults and children. These studies mostly focused on the investigation of “cold” EF tasks. Studies including measures of “hot” EF, i.e., tasks operating in an emotionally significant setting, are limited and hence results are inconclusive. In the present study, we extend previous research by investigating performance in a task of the “hot” EF domain by both behavioral data and mental effort via pupillary changes during task performance. Seventy-three monolingual and bilingual school children (mean age = 107.23 months, SD = 10.26) solved the Iowa Gambling Task in two different conditions. In the standard task, characterized by constant gains and occasional losses, children did not learn to improve their decision-making behavior. In a reversed task version, characterized by constant losses and occasional gains, both monolinguals and bilinguals learned to improve their decision-making behavior over the course of the task. In both versions of the task, children switched choices more often after losses than after gains. Bilinguals switched their choices less often than monolinguals in the reversed task, indicating a slightly more mature decision-making strategy. Mental effort did not differ between monolinguals and bilinguals. Conclusions of these findings for the bilingual advantage assumption will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Enke
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- *Correspondence: Susanne Enke,
| | - Catherine Gunzenhauser
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Faculty of Education, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Verena E. Johann
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz and Landau, Landau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
- Individual Development and Adaptive Education (IDeA), Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz and Landau, Landau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
- Individual Development and Adaptive Education (IDeA), Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany
| | - Henrik Saalbach
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
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