The relationship between executive functioning and self-regulated learning in Australian children

Understanding the interplay of self-regulated learning strategies in medical education: A cross-sectional structural equation modeling study

Background and Aims

Although previous studies have investigated self-regulated learning strategies, a holistic study has not been conducted on note-taking, environmental structuring, self-evaluation, and self-consequence strategies among medical students. The current study focused on the relationships between these four self-regulated learning strategies in a medical context.

Methods

A conceptual model of the four strategies was developed, supported by the relevant literature. This cross-sectional study used an electronic structured questionnaire. The sample consisted of 557 medical undergraduates. The data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to investigate the hypothetical model.

Results

The conceptual model fits the data well. All relationships between the strategies were significantly positive, except for a regression between environmental structuring and self-evaluation, which was nonsignificant. Self-evaluation strategies represented the highest mean, whereas self-consequence strategies represented the lowest.

Conclusion

The findings of this study have implications for medical students, their teachers, and their universities regarding ways to enhance learners' regulated learning strategies. Future research should be conducted to develop additional statistical and comparison models for use in experimental studies and longitudinal investigations.

Self-regulated learning as a mediator of the relation between executive functions and preschool academic competence

Executive functions (EF) and self-regulated learning (SRL) are processes for the goal-directed control of cognition and (learning) behavior that positively affect academic outcomes. Based on the finding that EF form the developmental basis for SRL, this study tested a model that assumes SRL as a mediator of the relationship between preschool EF and academic competence. Previous studies that found evidence for this mediation considered as predictors cool EF, which are important in emotionally neutral situations. However, since (pre)school-based learning is also associated with motivational incentives (e.g., praise from teachers and educators), this study aimed to test the validity of the above-mentioned mediation model using as predictors hot EF, which are important in emotional-motivational contexts. To this end, the constructs included in the model were cross-sectionally examined using performance measures and parent ratings in a sample of n = 77 German preschoolers (Mage = 71.61 months, SD = 4.13; 51.9 % girls). Results show that SRL mediates the relationship between hot EF and academic competence. Methodological limitations of the present study and implications for research and practice are discussed.

Interventions and Approaches Targeting Early Self-Regulation or Executive Functioning in Preschools: A Systematic Review

This systematic literature review sought to reconcile the evidence of efficacy for interventions and approaches to enhancing self-regulation and/or executive function in preschool settings. Following PRISMA methodology, a comprehensive search of 20 years of intervention research identified 85 studies that met inclusion criteria. Interventions were categorised by intervention approach and coded for their characteristics (e.g. sample size, dose, duration, interventionist, intervention activities), outcomes (e.g. significance, size of effects) and study quality (i.e. risk of bias). Reconciliation of intervention results indicated (1) within intervention approaches, some approaches had more consistent and robust evidence of efficacy (e.g. mindfulness, mediated play, physical activity) and (2) across intervention approaches, characteristics that had greater (or exclusive) presence amongst the higher efficacy interventions (e.g. cognitive challenge, movement, as well as interventionist, fidelity and dose considerations). Implications for future intervention (re)design, and for theorising about mechanisms of self-regulation and executive function change, are discussed.

Differential development and trainability of self-regulatory abilities among preschoolers

Self-regulation (SR) as well as self-regulated learning (SRL) show large interindividual variance in preschoolers. This variance may result in differential developmental trajectories. The present study aims to investigate whether a reduction in interindividual differences over time, which could previously be found for preschoolers' SR, is also present for SRL. Furthermore, the present study aims to explore whether preschool SRL training transfers to SR and whether training effects visible in SRL depend on initial performance. A sample of 94 preschoolers participated in this intervention study. Children were assigned to either a training group or to an active control group. Additionally, the sample was divided into high- and low-SRL preschoolers based on pretest SRL performance. Repeated measures ANCOVAs revealed that in the active control group, differences between high- and low-SRL preschoolers decreased over time. The training group showed a greater increase in SRL than the active control group. Training-induced increases did not vary between high- and low-SRL preschoolers. Additionally, increases in SR were identical for training and active control group. Further research on the transferability of preschool SRL training to SR is needed.

The Mediating Role of Work Engagement in the Relationship between Executive Functioning Deficits and Employee Well-Being

Executive functioning and its related components have been found to promote well-being. However, there is a limited understanding of the underlying mechanism. Drawing from the job demands-resources and PERMA models, the present study examined the hypothetical mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between executive functioning deficit and well-being among 314 working adults in Malaysia. Participants answered a survey consisting of the Executive Skills Questionnaire-Revised (ESQ-R; a new measure of executive functioning deficits for working adults), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Employee Well-Being Scale, and Self-Rated Creativity Scale. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the ESQ-R score was negatively associated with all other target variables, while the latter was positively related to each other. Moreover, supporting the hypotheses, the results of mediation analysis using PROCESS macro found that work engagement mediated the negative relationship between executive functioning deficits and well-being after statistically controlling for the creativity score. The findings not only replicate the beneficial role of executive functioning in employees' well-being but also shed light on the underlying process of the relationship. Implications and directions for future studies are discussed.

Stop and think: Additional time supports monitoring processes in young children

When children evaluate their certainty, monitoring is often inaccurate. Even though young children struggle to estimate their confidence, existing research shows that monitoring skills are developing earlier than expected. Using a paired associates learning task with integrated monitoring, we implemented a time window to—"Stop and Think"—before children generated their answers and evaluated their confidence in the chosen response. Results show that kindergarten and second grade children in the—"Stop and Think"—condition have higher monitoring accuracy than the control group. Implementing a time window thus seems to support children in their evaluation of different certainty levels. Relating individual differences in independently measured inhibitory control skills revealed a correlation between monitoring and inhibition for kindergarteners.

School Readiness Test and Intelligence in Preschool as Predictors of Middle School Success: Result of an Eight-Year Longitudinal Study

Research has shown that the development of cognitive and social skills in preschool predicts school readiness in kindergarten. However, most longitudinal studies are short-term, tracking children’s development only through the early elementary school years. This study aims to investigate the long-term impact of preschool predictors, intelligence, and mothers’ education on grade six school performance. This study presents the results of an eight-year-long longitudinal study. The sample includes 202 Hungarian children (89 boys) from a disadvantaged region of southeastern Hungary. The independent variables were the preschool measures: DIFER (Diagnostic System for Assessing Development), a widely used, standardized school readiness test that measures cognitive and social skills; the Raven intelligence test; and socioeconomic status. The dependent variables in grade six were: National Standardized tests in math and reading (NABC, National Assessment of Basic Competencies) and school grades (GPA). Cronbach’s alpha reliability of each test is above 0.76. Correlations and a series of multiple regressions were used for analysis. All three independent variables have significant predictive power for school performance in sixth grade. DIFER skills were the best predictors for reading achievement, intelligence for math achievement, and GPA was best predicted by mothers’ education. The results show that developing preschool skills, mothers’ education and IQ in preschool are essential to long-term learning success.