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Carriedo N, Rodríguez-Villagra OA, Pérez L, Iglesias-Sarmiento V. Executive functioning profiles and mathematical and reading achievement in Grades 2, 6, and 10. J Sch Psychol 2024; 106:101353. [PMID: 39251311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Using a person-centered approach, we aimed to identify different executive functioning profiles to assess heterogeneity across individuals within the same school grade through latent profile analysis. A sample of 150 Grade 2 (7-8 years old), 150 Grade 6 (11-12 years old), and 150 Grade 10 (15-16 years old) children and adolescents were assessed on 11 different executive tasks representative of the three main executive functioning subcomponents (i.e., inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory), fluid intelligence, processing speed, problem-solving, and reading comprehension. Three different executive functioning profiles of different patterns of interactions based on inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory within and between grades were identified. Moreover, these profiles were differentially related to reading comprehension and mathematical achievement. Second, as expected, we did not find these profiles to be associated with sociodemographic variables such as chronological age or sex. Still, fluid intelligence and processing speed were differentially related to the different profiles at each grade. We also found that the executive functioning profiles interacted with each cognitive skill (i.e., fluid intelligence and processing speed) in predicting reading comprehension and math achievement. These findings provide valuable insights for developing preventive and intervention strategies in education.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Odir A Rodríguez-Villagra
- Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica; Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica
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2
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Varghese SM, Shanbal JC. Graphophonological-semantic flexibility and its contribution to reading comprehension in children with dyslexia: A pilot study. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2024:1-13. [PMID: 39126424 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2024.2389119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Graphophonological-semantic flexibility is the cognitive flexibility in reading that enables individuals to manage multiple phonological and semantic aspects of text simultaneously. This study investigated graphophonological-semantic flexibility and its contribution to reading comprehension in children with dyslexia, comparing them to age-matched, typically developing peers. Thirty children aged 8-11 were assessed using a reading-specific sorting task, where they categorized word cards by initial phoneme and meaning within a 2x2 matrix. After sorting, participants explained their arrangements, and their sorting speed, accuracy, and composite scores were evaluated. Additionally, reading comprehension was assessed through passages followed by questions. Results revealed significant differences between children with dyslexia and their peers in sorting accuracy and composite scores. Children with dyslexia exhibited poorer accuracy and longer sorting times, leading to lower composite scores indicative of reduced graphophonological-semantic flexibility. Age showed a positive correlation with sorting accuracy and composite scores. Moreover, sorting accuracy and composite scores were strong predictors of reading comprehension. These findings suggest that children with dyslexia face challenges in managing both phonological and semantic aspects of text concurrently, highlighting the importance of graphophonological-semantic flexibility in reading development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Mareen Varghese
- Department of Speech Language Studies, Dr. S. R. Chandrasekhar Institute of Speech and Hearing, Bengaluru, India
| | - Jayashree C Shanbal
- Department of Speech Language Pathology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India
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3
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Hwang H, Choi S, Guha M, McMaster K, Harsch R, Kendeou P. Indirect and direct contributions of executive functions to reading comprehension. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 243:105925. [PMID: 38608513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
In the current study, we investigated the role of executive functions in explaining how word recognition and language comprehension jointly predict reading comprehension in multilingual and monolingual students (Grades 1 and 2). Specifically, mediation and moderation models were tested and compared to offer a more nuanced understanding of the role of executive functions in reading comprehension. The results provided support for the mediation model in which executive functions indirectly contribute to reading comprehension via word recognition and language comprehension in both language groups. In addition, executive functions directly predicted reading comprehension (i.e., partial mediation). These findings suggest that executive functions serve as general cognitive processes that support word recognition, language comprehension, and reading comprehension (i.e., direct contribution) as well as facilitate connecting word recognition and language comprehension in support for reading comprehension (i.e., indirect contribution). These findings are consistent with prominent models of reading comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- HyeJin Hwang
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Seohyeon Choi
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Manjary Guha
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Kristen McMaster
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Rina Harsch
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Panayiota Kendeou
- Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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4
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Tan X, Song J. Cognitive Flexibility Moderates the Predictive Effect of Phonological Awareness on Focus Structures in Chinese Preschool Children. Brain Sci 2024; 14:324. [PMID: 38671976 PMCID: PMC11048370 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040324] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Focus structures, a complex aspect of information structure in language, have garnered significant attention in psycholinguistics. The question of whether Chinese preschoolers aged 4-6 years possess the ability to process focus structures in oral communication, and how cognitive factors influence this ability, remains a research focal point. To address this, we recruited 100 Chinese preschoolers aged 4-6 years as participants in our study. This study manipulated the positions of focus particles in sentences to investigate the impact of phonological awareness on young children's comprehension of focus structures. Additionally, we examined the mediating roles of cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control. Our findings indicate the following: (1) phonological awareness positively predicted the accuracy of focus structural processing; (2) inhibitory control did not significantly predict the accuracy of focus structural processing; and (3) cognitive flexibility partially mediated the relationship between phonological awareness and focus structural comprehension. These results confirmed the predictive effect of cognitive flexibility on children's comprehension of focus structures. Moreover, they demonstrate that young children's phonological awareness can predict their focus structure comprehension ability through the mediating role of cognitive flexibility. This suggests that children's cognitive flexibility can aid in understanding sentences with focus structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqing Tan
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China;
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
| | - Jun Song
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454000, China
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5
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Nguyen SP, McDermott C. Holding multiple category representations: The role of age, theory of mind, and rule switching in children's developing cross-classification abilities. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 237:105716. [PMID: 37603980 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Cross-classification, the ability to categorize multifaceted entities in many ways, is a remarkable cognitive milestone for children. Past work has focused primarily on documenting the timeline for when children reach cross-classification competence. However, it is not well understood what cognitive factors underpin children's improvements. The current study aimed to examine the contributions of age, theory of mind, and rule switching to children's cross-classification development. We tested 3- to 5-year-old children (N = 75) using a cross-classification task, the Theory of Mind Task Battery, and the Three-Dimensional Change Card Sort test. The results revealed that age and theory of mind predict children's cross-classification over and above the effects of rule switching. The results also revealed that advanced-level theory of mind reasoning is a particularly strong predictor of cross-classification development. These findings increase understanding of cross-classification within children's broader cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone P Nguyen
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA.
| | - Catherine McDermott
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA
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Relyea JE, Cho E, Zagata E. First-grade multilingual students' executive function profiles and links to English reading achievement and difficulties: a person-centered latent profile analysis. ANNALS OF DYSLEXIA 2023; 73:29-52. [PMID: 36208401 DOI: 10.1007/s11881-022-00272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Although the important role of children's executive function (EF) in their reading development has been well-established, less is known about the extent to which multilingual children's EF components vary and whether the variability in different EF abilities explains multilingual children's English reading achievement. The present study explored the US first-grade multilingual children's (N = 3,819) profiles of EF abilities and how the profile membership was associated with their English reading achievement, using a nationally representative sample of multilingual children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K: 2011) study. We fit latent profile analysis with various EF components, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, approaches to learning, and attentional focus, and found three distinct EF profiles in multilingual children: (a) Below-Average EFs with Above-Average Cognitive Flexibility (10.13%), (b) Above-Average EFs (84.09%), and (c) Very Low Cognitive Flexibility (5.78%). Controlling for kindergarten English reading achievement scores and demographic variables, children in the Above-Average EFs profile attained a significantly higher English reading achievement score than their peers, while children in the Very Low Cognitive Flexibility group had the lowest English reading achievement score. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding multilingual children's heterogeneity in EF and have implications for the early identification of and tailored intervention for multilingual children at risk for reading difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eunsoo Cho
- College of Education, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Elizabeth Zagata
- Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
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Perpiñà Martí G, Sidera F, Senar Morera F, Serrat Sellabona E. Executive functions are important for academic achievement, but emotional intelligence too. Scand J Psychol 2023. [PMID: 36843137 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12907] [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: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Finding predictors of academic achievement has caught the interest of many educational researchers in the last decades. Two of the variables that have received considerable attention are emotional intelligence (EI) and executive functions (EF). However, only a few studies have considered their influence in the primary school stage. The aim of this study is to identify which EI components and specific EF are most related to academic achievement and to explore if these relationships vary among subjects. The sample comprised of 180 students between 8-11 years old. We administered the BarOn EI Inventory, tasks of EF and tests of mathematic and linguistic competences. The results showed that EF are better predictors of school performance than EI. Inhibition and working memory were the EF most associated with achievement while adaptability emerged as the EI dimension most linked to it. This study suggests that EI and EF should be consciously developed in classrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesc Sidera
- Department of Psychology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
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Xie Z, Chu X. Bilingual effect: the influence of L2 reading proficiency on cognitive control differences among young adult Chinese-English bilinguals. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2022.2147188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhilong Xie
- Foreign Languages College, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, R. People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaying Chu
- Foreign Languages College, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, R. People’s Republic of China
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9
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Escobar JP, Rosas Díaz R. Direct and Indirect Effects of Inhibition and Flexibility to Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, and Decoding in Spanish. READING PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2022.2141395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José-Pablo Escobar
- Centre for Development of Inclusion Technologies, School of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo Rosas Díaz
- Centre for Development of Inclusion Technologies, School of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Fong CYC, Ho CSH. Executive functions in Chinese kindergarten children with early reading problems. DYSLEXIA (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2022; 28:325-341. [PMID: 35586880 DOI: 10.1002/dys.1714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Learning to read Chinese is a complex task that draws on a range of executive function (EF) skills since early development. However, no studies have examined EF as a potential contributing factor to early reading problems among Chinese children. The present longitudinal study identified 48 poor readers and 48 normal readers among a sample of 190 Chinese children at the end of kindergarten. Measures of EF skills (working memory, inhibition control, and cognitive flexibility) and reading outcomes (word reading, sentence reading fluency, and sentence reading comprehension) were administered to the children. The two groups were retrospectively compared on the EF measures after age and nonverbal IQ were considered. Poor readers were found to perform significantly worse than normal readers in all the examined EF skills. Correlation and regression results revealed a relatively different nature of the relationship between EF and reading in poor readers as compared with normal readers. Inhibition control predicted reading outcomes in poor readers only, while cognitive flexibility predicted reading outcomes in normal readers only. Working memory was significantly correlated to word reading in poor readers and to reading comprehension in normal readers. The results are discussed in terms of the special characteristics of the Chinese language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy Yui-Chi Fong
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Connie Suk-Han Ho
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR
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11
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de Santana AN, Roazzi A, de Nobre APMC. The Relationship between Cognitive Flexibility and Mathematical Performance in Children: A Meta-Analysis. Trends Neurosci Educ 2022; 28:100179. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2022.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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12
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Taboada Barber A, Klauda SL, Wang W, Cartwright KB, Cutting LE. Emergent Bilinguals With Specific Reading Comprehension Deficits: A Comparative and Longitudinal Analysis. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2022; 55:43-57. [PMID: 33383991 DOI: 10.1177/0022219420983247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study centered on emergent bilingual (EB) students with specific reading comprehension deficits (S-RCD), that is, with poor reading comprehension despite solid word identification skills. The participants were 209 students in Grades 2 to 4, including both EBs and English monolinguals (EMs) with and without S-RCD. Mean comparisons indicated that EBs and EMs with S-RCD showed weaknesses relative to typically developing (TD) readers in oral language, word identification, inference making, and reading engagement, but not in executive functioning. Longitudinal analyses indicated that across two academic years S-RCD persisted for 41% of EBs and EMs alike. Altogether, the study extends research on EBs with S-RCD by identifying variables beyond oral language that may account for their reading comprehension difficulties and providing insight into the extent to which their reading comprehension and word identification performance levels evolve during elementary school. Furthermore, the findings point to the importance of early identification and intervention for weaknesses in reading comprehension and its component elements in both EBs and EMS.
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Briceño A. Influence of Sequential and Simultaneous Bilingualism on Second Grade Dual Language Students’ Use of Syntax in Reading. READING PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2021.1888345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allison Briceño
- One Washington Square, San Jose State University, San Jose, California, USA
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Examining the Influence of Interactions Between Early Reading Skills and Executive Functioning on Second Grade Reading Achievement. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1891/jcep-d-20-00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Questions still exist about the interplay between foundational literacy components and budding cognitive structures that are thought to influence advanced reading abilities. Understanding interactions between executive functions (EFs) and specific early reading skills could contribute to our understanding of later reading achievement. The present study used multilevel modeling to examine whether EFs (i.e., working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition) moderate the relation between various early reading skills in kindergarten and second grade reading achievement in a sample of 18,174 participants from the ECLS: K-2011 database. Our findings suggested that early teacher-rated reading skills are related to second grade reading abilities. Both working memory and inhibition were important moderators for reading independently in kindergarten and are associated with later reading achievement in second grade. Research implications and the importance of understanding the intersection of cognitive processes and learning in early childhood are discussed.
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Cartwright KB, Bock AM, Clause JH, Coppage August EA, Saunders HG, Schmidt KJ. Near- and far-transfer effects of an executive function intervention for 2nd to 5th-grade struggling readers. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2020.100932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Ober TM, Brooks PJ, Homer BD, Rindskopf D. Executive Functions and Decoding in Children and Adolescents: a Meta-analytic Investigation. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10648-020-09526-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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17
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Wu Y, Barquero LA, Pickren SE, Barber AT, Cutting LE. The relationship between cognitive skills and reading comprehension of narrative and expository texts: A longitudinal study from Grade 1 to Grade 4. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020; 80:101848. [PMID: 32536780 PMCID: PMC7291864 DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Following the increased emphasis on expository text in early grades, this study examined narrative and expository reading comprehension growth in a sample of children who were followed longitudinally from grades 1 to 4, with the goals of explaining potential differences in children's overall performance and growth of narrative and expository text comprehension and identifying the cognitive factors that distinctly contribute to comprehension for each text type. We hypothesized that differences in reading comprehension growth of narrative and expository texts would be explained by various cognitive factors, specifically those related to executive functions (EF; e.g., working memory, planning/organization, shifting, and inhibition). At four annual time points, children (n= 94) read, retold (Recall), and answered questions (CompQ) about expository and narrative passages. Growth curve modeling was used to explore reading comprehension development across the two types of text. On average, results showed that children scored better on reading comprehension of narrative passages than they did on expository passages across all time points. After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), vocabulary in 1st grade predicted 4th grade comprehension scores (Recall) for both narrative and expository passages, while word reading efficiency (WRE) in 1st grade predicted 4th grade comprehension scores (CompQ) for expository passages only. Additionally, WRE was associated with the growth of expository reading comprehension: children with higher WRE showed a faster growth rate for expository CompQ. The contribution of EF to text comprehension was largely confined to expository text, although planning and organization (measured using a direct cognitive assessment) in 1st grade also predicted 4th grade comprehension scores for narrative text Recall. For expository text comprehens ion, working memory, planning and organization, shifting, and inhibition (measured using a parent rating scale), predicted reading comprehension outcomes. Critically, 1st grade shifting and inhibition not only predicted 4th grade expository text comprehension (CompQ), but also modulated its growth rate: children with stronger shifting and inhibition had faster rates of growth. Together, these findings suggest that expository reading comprehension is (1) more difficult than narrative reading comprehension and (2) is associated with unique cognitive skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- Northeast Normal University, School of Psychology, Changchun, Jilin 130024, China
| | - Laura A. Barquero
- Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Sage E. Pickren
- Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
| | - Ana Taboada Barber
- Departament of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education, University of Maryland, College, Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Laurie E. Cutting
- Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
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Direct and indirect effects of executive functions, reading engagement, and higher order strategic processes in the reading comprehension of Dual Language Learners and English Monolinguals. CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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19
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Spencer M, Cutting LE. Relations Among Executive Function, Decoding, and Reading Comprehension: An Investigation of Sex Differences. DISCOURSE PROCESSES 2020; 58:42-59. [PMID: 33716362 PMCID: PMC7954233 DOI: 10.1080/0163853x.2020.1734416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In the current investigation, we used structural equation mediation modeling to examine the relations between executive function (indexed by measures of working memory, shifting, and inhibition), decoding ability, and reading comprehension in a sample of 298 6- to 8-year-old children (N =132 and 166 for boys and girls, respectively). Results for the full sample indicated that executive function was mediated by decoding ability. When sex was examined as a moderator of these associations, there was evidence for a trend suggesting that direct relations between executive function and reading comprehension were stronger for girls compared to boys; no significant differences were found for other direct and indirect relations. Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of executive function in supporting underlying integrative processes associated with reading comprehension and emphasize the need to further consider the role of executive function in relation to reading.
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Spencer M, Richmond MC, Cutting LE. Considering the Role of Executive Function in Reading Comprehension: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF READING : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF READING 2019; 24:179-199. [PMID: 32982142 PMCID: PMC7518696 DOI: 10.1080/10888438.2019.1643868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we used latent variable structural equation modeling to investigate relations between oral language, decoding, and two components of executive function (cognitive flexibility and working memory) and reading comprehension in a sample of 271 native English-speaking 9.00- to 14.83-year-olds. Results of the mediation analyses indicated that both oral language and decoding fully mediated the relations between working memory and cognitive flexibility and reading comprehension. These findings suggest that executive function is likely associated with reading comprehension through its relation with decoding and oral language and provide additional support for the role of executive function in reading comprehension as a potentially crucial precursor to skilled reading.
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Johann V, Könen T, Karbach J. The unique contribution of working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and intelligence to reading comprehension and reading speed. Child Neuropsychol 2019; 26:324-344. [DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2019.1649381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Johann
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
- Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tanja Könen
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
- Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
- Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt, Germany
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22
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Cartwright KB, Marshall TR, Huemer CM, Payne JB. Executive function in the classroom: Cognitive flexibility supports reading fluency for typical readers and teacher-identified low-achieving readers. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2019; 88:42-52. [PMID: 30851482 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dominant explanations of reading fluency indicate automatic phonological decoding frees mental resources for processing meaning. However, decoding automaticity does not guarantee attention to meaning. Recent neurocognitive work suggests executive functioning (EF) may contribute to fluency beyond decoding automaticity. AIMS Two studies examined contributions of an understudied EF, cognitive flexibility, to fluent reading and tested a teacher-administered EF intervention to improve fluency in teacher-identified low-achieving (LA) readers. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Study 1 assessed word reading fluency, automatic decoding, reading comprehension, verbal and nonverbal ability, and reading-specific and domain-general cognitive flexibility in 50 1st and 2nd grade typically-developing (TD) readers. Study 2 compared TD and LA readers' cognitive flexibility and examined effectiveness of cognitive flexibility intervention for improving fluency in 33 LA 2nd and 3rd graders. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Reading-specific flexibility contributed to fluency beyond automatic decoding and all other control variables in TD readers who had significantly higher cognitive flexibility than LA readers. Teacher-administered EF intervention improved reading fluency for LA readers. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These findings expand understanding of the neurocognitive basis of reading fluency and add to the growing body of evidence that EF underlies learning differences and serves as a useful target of intervention for LA students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly B Cartwright
- Christopher Newport University, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News, VA 23606, USA.
| | - Timothy R Marshall
- Christopher Newport University, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News, VA 23606, USA.
| | - Cathy M Huemer
- Newport News Public Schools, 2465 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, VA 23606, USA.
| | - Joan B Payne
- Newport News Public Schools, 2465 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
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Bock AM, Cartwright KB, McKnight PE, Patterson AB, Shriver AG, Leaf BM, Mohtasham MK, Vennergrund KC, Pasnak R. Patterning, Reading, and Executive Functions. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1802. [PMID: 30319500 PMCID: PMC6167542 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Detecting a pattern within a sequence of ordered units, defined as patterning, is a cognitive ability that is important in learning mathematics and influential in learning to read. The present study was designed to examine relations between first-grade children's executive functions, patterning, and reading abilities, and to examine whether these relations differ by the type of pattern. The results showed that working memory correlated with reading fluency, and comprehension measures. Inhibition correlated only with the latter. Cognitive flexibility was correlated with patterning performance and with performance on object size patterns, whereas working memory was correlated with performance on symmetrical patterns and growing number patterns. These results suggest that the cognition required for completing patterns differs depending on the pattern type. Teachers may find it beneficial to place emphasis on the switching and working memory components of completing patterning tasks, depending on the type of patterns used in instruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M. Bock
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Kelly B. Cartwright
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Teacher Preparation, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA, United States
| | - Patrick E. McKnight
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | | | - Amber G. Shriver
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Britney M. Leaf
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | | | | | - Robert Pasnak
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
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Butterfuss R, Kendeou P. The Role of Executive Functions in Reading Comprehension. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10648-017-9422-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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25
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Cognitive flexibility deficits in children with specific reading comprehension difficulties. CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2016.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Podjarny G, Kamawar D, Andrews K. The Multidimensional Card Selection Task: A new way to measure concurrent cognitive flexibility in preschoolers. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 159:199-218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Schmerold K, Bock A, Peterson M, Leaf B, Vennergrund K, Pasnak R. The Relations Between Patterning, Executive Function, and Mathematics. THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 151:207-228. [DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2016.1252708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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28
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Guajardo NR, McNally LF, Wright A. Children’s spontaneous counterfactuals: The roles of valence, expectancy, and cognitive flexibility. J Exp Child Psychol 2016; 146:79-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2016.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Revised: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Cantin RH, Gnaedinger EK, Gallaway KC, Hesson-McInnis MS, Hund AM. Executive functioning predicts reading, mathematics, and theory of mind during the elementary years. J Exp Child Psychol 2016; 146:66-78. [PMID: 26914106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2016.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to specify how executive functioning components predict reading, mathematics, and theory of mind performance during the elementary years. A sample of 93 7- to 10-year-old children completed measures of working memory, inhibition, flexibility, reading, mathematics, and theory of mind. Path analysis revealed that all three executive functioning components (working memory, inhibition, and flexibility) mediated age differences in reading comprehension, whereas age predicted mathematics and theory of mind directly. In addition, reading mediated the influence of executive functioning components on mathematics and theory of mind, except that flexibility also predicted mathematics directly. These findings provide important details about the development of executive functioning, reading, mathematics, and theory of mind during the elementary years.
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Guajardo NR, Cartwright KB. The contribution of theory of mind, counterfactual reasoning, and executive function to pre-readers' language comprehension and later reading awareness and comprehension in elementary school. J Exp Child Psychol 2015; 144:27-45. [PMID: 26689129 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2015] [Revised: 11/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The current longitudinal study examined the roles of theory of mind, counterfactual reasoning, and executive function in children's pre-reading skills, reading awareness, and reading comprehension. It is the first to examine this set of variables with preschool and school-aged children. A sample of 31 children completed language comprehension, working memory, cognitive flexibility, first-order false belief, and counterfactual reasoning measures when they were 3 to 5 years of age and completed second-order false belief, cognitive flexibility, reading comprehension, and reading awareness measures at 6 to 9 years of age. Results indicated that false belief understanding contributed to phrase and sentence comprehension and reading awareness, whereas cognitive flexibility and counterfactual reasoning accounted for unique variance in reading comprehension. Implications of the results for the development of reading skill are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R Guajardo
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA.
| | - Kelly B Cartwright
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
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31
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Deák GO, Wiseheart M. Cognitive flexibility in young children: General or task-specific capacity? J Exp Child Psychol 2015; 138:31-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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32
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Roberts KL, Norman RR, Cocco J. Relationship Between Graphical Device Comprehension and Overall Text Comprehension for Third-Grade Children. READING PSYCHOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2013.865693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Colé P, Duncan LG, Blaye A. Cognitive flexibility predicts early reading skills. Front Psychol 2014; 5:565. [PMID: 24966842 PMCID: PMC4052802 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An important aspect of learning to read is efficiency in accessing different kinds of linguistic information (orthographic, phonological, and semantic) about written words. The present study investigates whether, in addition to the integrity of such linguistic skills, early progress in reading may require a degree of cognitive flexibility in order to manage the coordination of this information effectively. Our study will look for evidence of a link between flexibility and both word reading and passage reading comprehension, and examine whether any such link involves domain-general or reading-specific flexibility. As the only previous support for a predictive relationship between flexibility and early reading comes from studies of reading comprehension in the opaque English orthography, another possibility is that this relationship may be largely orthography-dependent, only coming into play when mappings between representations are complex and polyvalent. To investigate these questions, 60 second-graders learning to read the more transparent French orthography were presented with two multiple classification tasks involving reading-specific cognitive flexibility (based on words) and non-specific flexibility (based on pictures). Reading skills were assessed by word reading, pseudo-word decoding, and passage reading comprehension measures. Flexibility was found to contribute significant unique variance to passage reading comprehension even in the less opaque French orthography. More interestingly, the data also show that flexibility is critical in accounting for one of the core components of reading comprehension, namely, the reading of words in isolation. Finally, the results constrain the debate over whether flexibility has to be reading-specific to be critically involved in reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale Colé
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR-7290, Aix-Marseille University Marseille, France
| | | | - Agnès Blaye
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, UMR-7290, Aix-Marseille University Marseille, France
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Zampini L, Suttora C, D'Odorico L, Zanchi P. Sequential reasoning and listening text comprehension in preschool children. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2013.766130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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