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Dumont É, Parent S, Castellanos-Ryan N, Jacques S, Freeston MH, Zelazo PD, Séguin JR. The Role of Executive Function at 6 Years in the Association between Behavioral Inhibition at 5 Years and Anxiety at 7 Years. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024; 52:919-931. [PMID: 38329683 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01175-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
EF skills play a central role in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety, but it is unclear whether they act as moderators or mediators in the relation between early behavioral inhibition (BI) and later anxiety. The current study tested two models by examining whether two executive functions (EF) skills (cognitive flexibility and working memory) assessed at age 6 acted as moderators or mediators in the relation between BI at 5 years and anxiety symptoms at 7 years. The sample consisted of 422 children from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. We tested the moderation model, main and interaction effects using hierarchical multiple regression analyses and the mediation model with the product of coefficients test. Results showed that higher BI at 5 years predicted high anxiety at 7 years only at low levels of cognitive flexibility or working memory at 6 years. This suggests that high levels of cognitive flexibility or working memory at 6 years may act as protective factors. In contrast, neither cognitive flexibility nor working memory at age 6 acted as mediators in the association between BI at 5 years and anxiety at 7 years. Results support the hypothesis that goal-driven cognitive control processes act as moderators and promote adaptive functioning by dampening the effect of early BI on later anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Émilie Dumont
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Bureau B17.107; 3175 chemin Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Sophie Parent
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Bureau B17.107; 3175 chemin Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Natalie Castellanos-Ryan
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Bureau B17.107; 3175 chemin Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Sophie Jacques
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Mark H Freeston
- School of Psychology and Affiliated to the Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Philip David Zelazo
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jean R Séguin
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Bureau B17.107; 3175 chemin Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Bernier A, Côté SM, Lapolice Thériault R, Leclerc G. On executive functioning and childcare: The moderating role of parent-child interactions. Dev Sci 2024:e13534. [PMID: 38813799 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13534] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Childcare services are widely used by families and thereby exert an important influence on many young children. Yet, little research has examined whether childcare may impact the development of child executive functioning (EF), one of the pillars of cognitive development in early childhood. Furthermore, despite persisting hypotheses that childcare may be particularly beneficial for children who have less access to optimal developmental resources at home, research has yet to address the possibility that putative associations between childcare and EF may vary as a function of family factors. Among a sample of 180 mostly White middle-class families (91 girls), we examined if childcare participation in infancy was related to two aspects of EF (Delay and Conflict) at 3 years, and whether two aspects of maternal parenting behavior (sensitivity and autonomy support) moderated these associations. The results showed positive associations between participation in group-based childcare and Delay EF specifically among children of relatively less autonomy-supportive mothers. These findings suggest that out-of-home childcare services may play a protective role for children exposed to parenting that is less conducive to their executive development. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Little research has considered effects of childcare in infancy on executive functioning (EF). Long-standing hypothesis that childcare is more beneficial for children exposed to less sensitive and supportive parenting. We test interactions between maternal parenting and childcare participation in infancy in relation to EF at age 3 years. We find positive associations between participation in group-based childcare and Delay EF specifically among children of relatively less autonomy-supportive mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sylvana M Côté
- École de Santé Publique, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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Brandt A, Bondü R, Elsner B. Profiles of executive functions in middle childhood and prediction of later self-regulation. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1379126. [PMID: 38784608 PMCID: PMC11111993 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1379126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Most research on the development of executive functions (EF) has applied variable-oriented approaches, neglecting the potential inter- and intraindividual interplay of these capacities. In a person-oriented approach, the present study identified varying profiles of performance for three cool EF facets: inhibition, working-memory updating, and cognitive flexibility, as well as two hot EF facets: affective decision-making and delay of gratification, in a community sample of 1,657 children (T1; age: 6-11 years, M = 8.36 years, 52.1% female) via latent profile analysis. The best-fitting model allowed for partial dependence across the three cool EF and included four profiles: all-average (69.4% of the children), low-delay (19.0%), regulated-decision-making (7.0%), and low-inhibition (4.6%). Age, binary sex, socio-economic status, multilingualism, and processing speed were identified as significant characteristics of EF profile membership. Longitudinally, a higher probability of belonging to the low-inhibition profile predicted lower rates of the self-regulatory outcome of inhibitory control 1 year later, while belonging to the regulated-decision-making profile predicted lower rates of the ability to plan and organize 3 years later. These results not only demonstrate the existence of subgroups with different concurrent within-person expressions of EF performance, but also identify related characteristics and longitudinal outcomes of subgroup membership. In turn, these conclusions stress the importance of person-oriented research to inform on differing weaknesses or strengths in EF performance for varying individuals, thereby providing valuable insight for educational and clinical research into the design of effective personalized support or interventions during middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadne Brandt
- Department for Developmental Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Rebecca Bondü
- Department for Developmental, Pedagogic and Family Psychology, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgit Elsner
- Department for Developmental Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Jónsdóttir LK, Forslund T, Frick MA, Frick A, Heeman EJ, Brocki KC. A challenge to the expected: Lack of longitudinal associations between the early caregiving environment, executive functions in toddlerhood, and self-regulation at 6 years. Dev Sci 2024:e13526. [PMID: 38712829 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13526] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Previous research and theory indicate an importance of the quality of the early caregiving environment in the development of self-regulation. However, it is unclear how attachment security and maternal sensitivity, two related but distinct aspects of the early caregiving environment, may differentially predict self-regulation at school start and whether a distinction between hot and cool executive function is informative in characterizing such predictions through mediation. In a 5-year longitudinal study (n = 108), we examined these associations using measures of maternal sensitivity and attachment security at 10-12 months, executive function at 4 years, and self-regulation at 6 years. Surprisingly, and despite methodological rigor, we found few significant bivariate associations between the study variables. We found no credible evidence of a longitudinal association between maternal sensitivity or attachment security in infancy and self-regulation at 6 years, or between executive function at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. The lack of bivariate longitudinal associations precluded us from building mediation models as intended. We discuss our null findings in terms of their potential theoretical implications, as well as how measurement type, reliability, and validity, may play a key role in determining longitudinal associations between early caregiving factors and later self-regulation and related abilities. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The early caregiving environment has been implicated in the development of later self-regulation, which includes more basic skills, such as hot and cool executive functions (EF). In a 5-year longitudinal study, with a sample of 108 children, we rigorously measured aspects of early caregiving, EF, and self-regulation. We found no significant longitudinal associations between early caregiving and self-regulation at 6 years, nor between EF at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. These null results highlight the complexity of modeling self-regulation development and raise critical questions about general methodological conventions within self-regulation development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilja K Jónsdóttir
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women's Mental Health During the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tommie Forslund
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matilda A Frick
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emma J Heeman
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women's Mental Health During the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin C Brocki
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Fernandez MA, Rebon-Ortiz F, Saura-Carrasco M, Climent G, Diaz-Orueta U. Ice Cream: new virtual reality tool for the assessment of executive functions in children and adolescents: a normative study. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1196964. [PMID: 37809320 PMCID: PMC10556863 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1196964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This study focuses on the obtention of normative data for participants between 8 and 16 years old who were administered the Ice Cream test, a virtual reality tool designed to evaluate executive functions. The normative sample comprised n = 821 participants (49% female), with an age range of 8 to 16 years old, recruited across nine different testing sites in Spain. Experienced evaluators in psychological assessment, recruited and trained by the developer of the test, administered the test to the recruited sample. An empirical analysis of Ice Cream identified three factors, namely planning, learning and flexibility. Descriptive normative groups by age and gender were initially provided. A homoscedasticity analysis by gender showed no statistically significant differences between male and female participants. Cluster analysis by age suggested the creation of different age groups, respectively, 8 to 11 and 12 to 16 in Planning and Flexibility, and 8 to 9 and 10 to 16 in Learning, and subsequently, descriptive data for the established age groups per factor are shown. A confirmatory factor analysis showed the suitability of the 3 factors established as measured of three differentiated executive functions. Complementary data on the validity and reliability, and internal consistency of the scales are provided. Obtained normative data are relevant for evaluating executive functions in children and adolescents in a more ecological way. Further studies are needed to determine sensitivity and specificity of Ice Cream VR test to measure executive functions in different clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gema Climent
- Giunti-Nesplora SL., Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Unai Diaz-Orueta
- Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
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Deodhar AV, Bertenthal BI. How attention factors into executive function in preschool children. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1146101. [PMID: 37502749 PMCID: PMC10369189 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1146101] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Executive Function consists of self-regulation processes which underlie our ability to plan, coordinate, and complete goal-directed actions in our daily lives. While attention is widely considered to be central to the emergence and development of executive function during early childhood, it is not clear if it is integral or separable from other executive function processes. Previous studies have not addressed this question satisfactorily because executive function and attention are multidimensional constructs, but they are often studied without differentiating the specific processes that are tested. Moreover, some studies consist of only one task per process, making it difficult to ascertain if the pattern of results is attributable to different processes or more simply to task variance. The main aim of this study was to more fully investigate how attention factored into the underlying structure of executive function in preschool children. Preschool children (n = 137) completed a battery of tasks which included executive function (i.e., response inhibition, working memory) and attentional control (i.e., sustained attention, selective attention) processes; there were two tasks per process. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to test which of three models fit the data best: (1) a unitary one-factor model with attention loading onto the same factor as other executive function processes, (2) a two-factor model with attention loading onto a separate factor than other executive function processes, or (3) a three-factor model with attention, response inhibition, and working memory as separate factors. Fit indices and model comparisons indicated that the two-factor model fit the data best, suggesting that attentional control and executive function were related, but separable. Although this study is not the first to advocate for a two-factor model during the preschool years, it is the first to suggest that the two factors are attentional control and executive function, not working memory and response inhibition. One important implication of these findings is that a complete assessment of executive function during the preschool years necessitates measuring not only response inhibition and working memory, but attentional control as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi V. Deodhar
- HANDS in Autism Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, Department of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Bennett I. Bertenthal
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
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Rezende G, Le Stanc L, Menu I, Cassotti M, Aïte A, Salvia E, Houdé O, Borst G, Cachia A. Differential effects of mindfulness meditation and cognitive training on cool and hot inhibitory control in children and adolescents. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 235:105741. [PMID: 37441988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105741] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory control (IC) can occur either in a neutral context (cool) or in social contexts involving emotions (hot). Cool and hot IC have specific developmental trajectories; cool IC develops linearly from childhood to adulthood, whereas hot IC follows a quadratic trajectory. Some activities can improve the IC, such as cognitive training (CT) and mindfulness meditation (MM). The aim of our study was to compare the effects of 5 weeks of computerized MM versus CT on IC performance in 66 children (9-10 years old) and 63 adolescents (16-17 years old) by specifically analyzing cool and hot dimensions in the same participants and from a developmental perspective. We fit a linear mixed-effect model on the Stroop interference score with time (pretest vs. posttest) and type of conflict (cool vs. hot) as within-participant factors and intervention group (CT vs. MM) and age group (child vs. adolescent) as between-participant factors. The findings revealed that children but not adolescents benefitted from interventions. More specifically, CT improved cool IC but not hot IC, whereas MM practice improved hot IC but not cool IC. This study supports the benefits of MM at a young age. Theoretical issues linking MM programs to emotional competence grounded in hot IC skills are considered in academic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Rezende
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lorna Le Stanc
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Iris Menu
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Cassotti
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ania Aïte
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Emilie Salvia
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Houdé
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France; Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Grégoire Borst
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France; Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Cachia
- Laboratoire de Psychologie du Développement et de l'Education, Université Paris Cité, UMR CNRS 8240, 75005 Paris, France; Imaging Biomarkers for Brain Development and Disorders, Université Paris Cité, UMR INSERM 1266, GHU Paris Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, 75005 Paris, France.
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Hunt E, Hogan A, Will EA, Roberts JE. ADHD and ASD symptoms in young males with fragile X syndrome: associations with early trajectories of inhibitory control. Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:760-786. [PMID: 36082630 PMCID: PMC9995619 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2120605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory control (IC), the ability to suppress inappropriate responses, emerges late in the first year of life and improves across typical development, concurrent with brain maturation. The development of IC is critical to various social-emotional and behavioral functions, with IC difficulties being linked to numerous neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a single-gene disorder characterized by IC difficulties, and elevated rates of ADHD and ASD, making it a useful model for understanding the early development and consequences of IC. In this longitudinal study, we characterized IC trajectories across multiple time points between 16 and 71 months of age in young males with FXS (n = 79) relative to neurotypical (NT) controls (n=49). To explore the association between behavioral outcomes and IC, we identified a subsample of 50 children with longitudinal IC data and an outcome assessment for ADHD and ASD symptoms at age 5 (FXS: n = 26, NT: n = 24). Results indicated that, compared to their NT peers, young males with FXS exhibit differences in IC as early as 24 months, with group differences increasing through age 5. Additionally, we determined that lower IC levels at 24 months were associated with later ADHD symptoms and a decreasing slope in IC over time was associated with later ASD symptoms in male children with FXS. These findings help refine early developmental phenotypes of FXS and highlight IC as a potential target for early detection and intervention of ASD and ADHD symptoms in male children with FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Hunt
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Abigail Hogan
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Will
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jane E Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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Becker L, Condy E, Kaat A, Thurm A. How do 3-year-olds do on the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery? Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:521-542. [PMID: 35876076 PMCID: PMC9873835 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2100337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The NIH Toolbox includes a cognitive battery that provides an Early Childhood Composite score for children age 3-7. However, very few studies have evaluated feasibility when it is used in the youngest segment of this age range-3-year-olds. The current study evaluated performance on the four cognitive subtests composing the early childhood composite, two of which assess executive function, in a large sample of 3-year-olds enrolled in a Vanguard pilot of the National Children's Study. Results found that in a cohort of 609 3-year-olds (mean age = 39.6 months, SD = 1.6, 53% male, 64% White, 87% Non-Hispanic) who were administered four subtests included in the Early Childhood Composite, up to approximately 30% were unable to pass practice items on the Flanker, Dimensional Change Card Sort, and Picture Sequence Memory, whereas only approximately 3% were unable to pass practice items on the Picture Vocabulary Test. Furthermore, of those that did pass practice and achieve scores on the subtests, approximately 70% and 80% performed at or below chance level on the executive function tasks (Flanker and Dimensional Change Card Sort) and Picture Sequence Memory, respectively. Ultimately, the average 3-year-old has difficulty with three of the four NIH Toolbox tasks composing the Early Childhood Composite and may not yet have developed the requisite skills. These findings indicate that changes compatible with the developmental level of preschoolers are recommended to increase the feasibility and effectiveness of the NIH Toolbox in measuring individual cognition differences in 3-year-old children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Becker
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emma Condy
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Aaron Kaat
- Medical Social Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Audrey Thurm
- Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Thapaliya G, Carnell S, Mostofsky SH, Rosch KS. Neurobehavioral phenotypes of delay discounting and cognitive control in child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity: Shared or distinct? Pediatr Obes 2023; 18:e13001. [PMID: 36655309 PMCID: PMC9993809 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity have been independently associated with deficient cognitive control (CC) and heightened preference for immediate reward. OBJECTIVES We aimed to identify specific shared and distinct neurobehavioral phenotypes of child obesity and ADHD by simultaneously measuring CC and preference for immediate reward in children with and without ADHD who varied in body weight. METHODS This case-control study included 323 8-12 year olds (ADHD n = 215, typically developing (TD) screened for ADHD symptoms [TD] controls n = 108) varying in body weight. Children completed a go/no-go task (assessing CC), as well as a classical money delay discounting (DD) task and novel experiential game time DD task (assessing preference for immediate over delayed rewards). RESULTS For game time DD, there was a body mass index z-score (BMIz)*ADHD interaction, such that TD children with overweight/obesity showed game time DD levels that were greater than those of TD children without overweight/obesity and similar to those of children with ADHD. Only children with ADHD showed poorer CC compared to TD children, with no effects of body weight. CONCLUSIONS Heightened game time DD with delays and rewards experienced in real-time may represent a neurobehavioral phenotype that is shared between ADHD and overweight/obesity in childhood, whereas deficient CC may be specific to children with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gita Thapaliya
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan Carnell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Stewart H Mostofsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Keri S Rosch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Russell A, Jansen E, Burnett AJ, Lee J, Russell CG. Children's eating behaviours and related constructs: conceptual and theoretical foundations and their implications. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2023; 20:19. [PMID: 36793039 PMCID: PMC9933409 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-023-01407-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a substantial body of research on children's eating behaviours (e.g., food responsiveness and fussiness) and related constructs (e.g., eating in the absence of hunger, appetite self-regulation). This research provides a foundation for understanding children's dietary intakes and healthy eating behaviours, as well as efforts at intervention, whether in relation to food avoidance, overeating and/or trajectories to excess weight gain. The success of these efforts and their associated outcomes is dependent on the theoretical foundation and conceptual clarity of the behaviours and constructs. This, in turn contributes to the coherence and precision of the definitions and measurement of these behaviours and constructs. Limited clarity in these areas ultimately creates uncertainty around the interpretation of findings from research studies and intervention programs. At present there does not appear to be an overarching theoretical framework of children's eating behaviours and associated constructs, or for separate domains of children's eating behaviours/constructs. The main purpose of the present review was to examine the possible theoretical foundations of some of the main current questionnaire and behavioural measures of children's eating behaviours and related constructs. METHODS We reviewed the literature on the most prominent measures of children's eating behaviours for use with children aged ~ 0-12 years. We focused on the explanations and justifications for the original design of the measures and whether these included theoretical perspectives, as well as current theoretical interpretations (and difficulties) of the behaviours and constructs. RESULTS We found that the most commonly used measures had their foundations in relatively applied or practical concerns rather than theoretical perspectives. CONCLUSIONS We concluded, consistent with Lumeng & Fisher (1), that although existing measures have served the field well, to advance the field as a science, and better contribute to knowledge development, increased attention should be directed to the conceptual and theoretical foundations of children's eating behaviours and related constructs. Suggestions for future directions are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Russell
- grid.1014.40000 0004 0367 2697College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia Australia
| | - Elena Jansen
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Alissa J. Burnett
- grid.1021.20000 0001 0526 7079Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jookyeong Lee
- grid.1021.20000 0001 0526 7079Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia ,grid.1021.20000 0001 0526 7079CASS Food Research Centre, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Catherine G. Russell
- grid.1021.20000 0001 0526 7079Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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Moriguchi Y, Phillips S. Evaluating the Distinction between Cool and Hot Executive Function during Childhood. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020313. [PMID: 36831856 PMCID: PMC9953946 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020313] [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: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This article assesses the cool-hot executive function (EF) framework during childhood. First, conceptual analyses suggest that cool EF (cEF) is generally distinguished from hot EF (hEF). Second, both EFs can be loaded into different factors using confirmatory factor analyses. Third, the cognitive complexity of EF is similar across cEF tasks, and the cognitive complexity of cEF is similar to hEF tasks. Finally, neuroimaging analysis suggests that children activate the lateral prefrontal regions during all EF tasks. Taken together, we propose that the cool-hot framework is a useful, though not definitive way of characterizing differences in EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Moriguchi
- Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Yoshidahoncho, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-75-753-2852
| | - Steven Phillips
- Mathematical Neuroscience Group, Human Informatics and Interaction Research Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
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13
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Pollatos O, Mönkemöller K, Groppe K, Elsner B. Interoceptive accuracy is associated with benefits in decision making in children. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1070037. [PMID: 36743603 PMCID: PMC9893641 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1070037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Decision making results not only from logical analyses, but seems to be further guided by the ability to perceive somatic information (interoceptive accuracy). Relations between interoceptive accuracy and decision making have been exclusively studied in adults and with regard to complex, uncertain situations (as measured by the Iowa Gambling Task, IGT). Methods In the present study, 1454 children (6-11 years) were examined at two time points (approximately 1 year apart) using an IGT as well as a delay-of-gratification task for sweets-items and toy-items. Interoceptive accuracy was measured using a child-adapted version of the Heartbeat Perception Task. Results The present results revealed that children with higher, as compared to lower, interoceptive accuracy showed more advantageous choices in the IGT and delayed more sweets-items, but not toy-items, in a delay-of-gratification task at time point 2 but not at time point 1. However, no longitudinal relation between interoceptive accuracy and decision making 1 year later could be shown. Discussion Results indicate that interoceptive accuracy relates to decision-making abilities in situations of varying complexity already in middle childhood, and that this link might consolidate across the examined 1-year period. Furthermore, the association of interoceptive accuracy and the delay of sweets-items might have implications for the regulation of body weight at a later age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Pollatos
- Clinical and Health Psychology, Institute of Education and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Karla Mönkemöller
- Clinical and Health Psychology, Institute of Education and Psychology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany,*Correspondence: Karla Mönkemöller, ✉
| | - Karoline Groppe
- Evangelisches Krankenhaus Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgit Elsner
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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14
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Garon N, Hecker O, Kwan A, Crocker TA, English SD. Integrated versus trial specific focus improves decision-making in older preschoolers. Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:28-55. [PMID: 35430949 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2063269] [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: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This study explored the effect of integrated-focus (focusing on a depiction of overall gains/losses) versus trial-focus (focusing on gains/losses at each trial) on choice in a preschool variant of the Iowa Gambling task. Participants included 65 preschoolers (M = 47.82, SD = 7.29). Children completed two versions of the Preschool Gambling task, three cool executive function tasks, a moral reasoning task, and an affective perspective taking task. The results indicated that while the integrated-focus condition led to improvement in the awareness of the game, the condition effect was moderated by age for decision-making choice; older preschoolers showed improvement in decision-making in the integrated focus condition, while younger preschoolers showed no condition effect. Further analysis indicated that differences in the increase of advantageous choice across blocks and the condition effect were partly explained by these differences in awareness. Furthermore, a component of cool executive function (shifting) was associated with the latter phase of decision-making. The findings additionally indicated an association of advantageous decision-making with moral/emotional measures, suggesting that the PGT may be a potentially useful clinical tool for early assessment. Finally, the findings of the current study have implications for how hot and cool executive function abilities may work together to enable adaptive decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Garon
- Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
| | - Olivia Hecker
- Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
| | - Andrea Kwan
- Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
| | - Terese A Crocker
- Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
| | - Sarah D English
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
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15
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Conejero Á, Rico-Picó J, Moyano S, Hoyo Á, Rueda MR. Predicting behavioral and brain markers of inhibitory control at preschool age from early measures of executive attention. Front Psychol 2023; 14:983361. [PMID: 36935994 PMCID: PMC10018214 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.983361] [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: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Inhibitory control (IC) is the ability to prevent prepotent responses when inappropriate. Longitudinal research on IC development has mainly focused on early childhood and adolescence, while research on IC development in the first years of life is still scarce. To address this gap in the literature, we explored the association between executive attention (EA) and elementary forms of IC in infancy and toddlerhood, with individual differences in IC later at 5 years of age. Method We conducted a five-wave longitudinal study in which children's EA and IC (n = 96) were tested at the age of 9 and 16 months and 2, 3, and 5 years. Children performed various age-appropriate EA and IC tasks in each wave, measuring inhibition of attention, endogenous control of attention, inhibition of the response, and conflict inhibition. At 5 years of age, IC was measured with a Go/No-go task while recording event-related potentials. After correlation analyses, structural equation model analyses were performed to predict IC at 5 years of age from EA and early IC measures. Results The results revealed that EA at 9 months predicted IC measures at 2 years of age. Likewise, measures of IC at 2 years predicted performance on the Go/No-go task at behavioral and neural levels. No direct association was found between EA at 9 months and IC at 5 years of age. We further observed that some EA and IC measures were not associated across time. Conclusion As we expected, EA skills in infancy and toddlerhood were related to better performance of children on IC tasks, toghether with a more mature inhibition-related brain functioning. Altogether, the results indicate that IC in early childhood could be predicted from EA and IC at 9 months and 2 years of age and suggest that the early emergence of IC relies on the development of particular EA and basic IC skills. However, some discontinuities in the longitudinal development of IC are observed in the first 5 years of life. These findings provide further support for the hierarchical model of IC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángela Conejero
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ángela Conejero,
| | - Josué Rico-Picó
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Sebastián Moyano
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ángela Hoyo
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - M. Rosario Rueda
- Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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16
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Zhao H, Zhang T, Cheng T, Chen C, Zhai Y, Liang X, Cheng N, Long Y, Li Y, Wang Z, Lu C. Neurocomputational mechanisms of young children's observational learning of delayed gratification. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:6063-6076. [PMID: 36562999 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac484] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to delay gratification is crucial for a successful and healthy life. An effective way for young children to learn this ability is to observe the action of adult models. However, the underlying neurocomputational mechanism remains unknown. Here, we tested the hypotheses that children employed either the simple imitation strategy or the goal-inference strategy when learning from adult models in a high-uncertainty context. Results of computational modeling indicated that children used the goal-inference strategy regardless of whether the adult model was their mother or a stranger. At the neural level, results showed that successful learning of delayed gratification was associated with enhanced interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) between children and the adult models in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex but was not associated with children's own single-brain activity. Moreover, the discounting of future reward's value obtained from computational modeling of the goal-inference strategy was positively correlated with the strength of INS. These findings from our exploratory study suggest that, even for 3-year-olds, the goal-inference strategy is used to learn delayed gratification from adult models, and the learning strategy is associated with neural interaction between the brains of children and adult models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Tengfei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Tong Cheng
- Research Center for Child Development, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, P.R. China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States
| | - Yu Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Xi Liang
- Research Center for Child Development, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, P.R. China
| | - Nanhua Cheng
- Research Center for Child Development, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, P.R. China
| | - Yuhang Long
- Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
| | - Zhengyan Wang
- Research Center for Child Development, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, P.R. China
| | - Chunming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P.R. China
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17
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Screen Media Exposure in Early Childhood and Its Relation to Children’s Self-Regulation. HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/4490166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Self-regulation, the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and behavior for goal-directed activities, shows rapid development in infancy, toddlerhood, and preschool periods. Early self-regulatory skills predict later academic achievement and socioemotional adjustment. An increasing number of studies suggest that screen media use may have negative effects on children’s developing self-regulatory skills. In this systematic review, we summarized and integrated the findings of the studies investigating the relationship between young children’s screen media use and their self-regulation. We searched the ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science databases and identified 39 relevant articles with 45 studies. We found that screen time in infancy is negatively associated with self-regulation, but findings were more inconsistent for later ages suggesting that screen time does not adequately capture the extent of children’s screen media use. The findings further indicated that background TV is negatively related to children’s self-regulation, and watching fantastical content seems to have immediate negative effects on children’s self-regulatory skills. We suggest that future studies should take the content and context of children’s screen media use into account and also focus on parent- and home-related factors such as parental behaviors that foster the development of self-regulatory skills.
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18
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Schmidt H, Daseking M, Gawrilow C, Karbach J, Kerner Auch Koerner J. Self-regulation in preschool: Are executive function and effortful control overlapping constructs? Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13272. [PMID: 35481663 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The concepts of executive function (EF) and effortful control (EC) are strikingly similar. EF originate from neurocognitive research and are described as an accumulation of cognitive processes that serve the goal-oriented self-regulation (SR) of an individual. EC originates from temperament research and is defined as the efficiency of executive attention, including the ability to inhibit a dominant response, to activate a subdominant response, to proceed in a planned manner and to recognize conflicts or errors. The aim of this article was to examine the association between the constructs of EF and EC at the preschool-age. Eighty-eight children (49 female; M-age = 3.93 years, SD = .78) were tested with a computerized battery designed to assess EF at 3-6 years of age (EF Touch). Children's parents completed questionnaires assessing EF impairments (BRIEF-P) and EC (CBQ). Associations between the constructs and their conceptual overlap were analyzed using correlations and confirmatory factor analyses. We found significant correlations between EF and EC measures. A one-factor confirmatory model fitted the data very well and indicated that EF and EC are indeed overlapping and highly similar constructs. Therefore, our results show that measures of EC and EF have substantial overlap in preschoolers and suggest an integrated model of self-regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henning Schmidt
- Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,IDeA Research Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Monika Daseking
- Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,IDeA Research Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Caterina Gawrilow
- IDeA Research Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- IDeA Research Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Julia Kerner Auch Koerner
- Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,IDeA Research Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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19
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Gönüllü Polat B, Makharoblidze K, İpek R, Çobanoğullari Direk M, Derici Yıldırım D, Okuyaz Ç. Evaluation of developmental profiles of children with hydrocephalus. NEUROCIRUGIA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2022; 33:269-274. [PMID: 36333085 DOI: 10.1016/j.neucie.2021.06.005] [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: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare the developmental characteristics of children with hydrocephalus with those of healthy children. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 109 children aged between 2 and 46 months were included in the study, 54 patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus and 55 healthy children were evaluated with demographic data forms and Denver Developmental Screening Test II. RESULTS The mean personal-social (p<0.001), fine motor-adaptive (p<0.001), language (p<0.001), and gross motor subscale scores were significantly lower in children with hydrocephalus than in the control group. Personal-social (p=0.002) and gross motor (p=0.029) subscale scores were significantly lower in children with obstructive hydrocephalus than communicating hydrocephalus. There was a significant negative correlation between language scores and ages of the children with hydrocephalus (r=-0.350, p=0.009). It was found that children with obstructive hydrocephalus carry a 6.7 folds higher risk of experiencing problems in terms of personal-social development compared to those with communicating hydrocephalus (p=0.011). CONCLUSION We found that patients with hydrocephalus were developmentally retarded compared to the healthy control subjects. Retardation was the most prominent in the obstructive group. Our results showed that neurodevelopmental follow-up should be carried-out regularly in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus, and early intervention should be started in necessary cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burçin Gönüllü Polat
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Mersin, Turkey.
| | - Khatuna Makharoblidze
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Rojan İpek
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Mersin, Turkey
| | | | - Didem Derici Yıldırım
- Mersın University, Faculty of Medicine, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Çetin Okuyaz
- Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Mersin, Turkey
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20
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Nili AN, Krogh-Jespersen S, Perlman SB, Estabrook R, Petitclerc A, Briggs-Gowan MJ, Sherlock PR, Norton ES, Wakschlag LS. Joint Consideration of Inhibitory Control and Irritability in Young Children: Contributions to Emergent Psychopathology. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2022; 50:1415-1427. [PMID: 35838931 PMCID: PMC9753138 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-022-00945-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in self-regulation capacity have been linked to subsequent impairment and clinical symptomology across the lifespan. Prior work has identified difficulty regulating angry emotions (i.e., irritability) as a powerful transdiagnostic indicator of current and future clinical concerns. Less is known regarding how irritability intersects with cognitive features of self-regulation, in particular inhibitory control, despite its mental health relevance. A promising avenue for improving specificity of clinical predictions in early childhood is multi-method, joint consideration of irritability and inhibitory control capacities. To advance early identification of impairment and psychopathology risk, we contrast group- and variable-based models of neurodevelopmental vulnerability at the interface of irritability and inhibitory control in contexts of varied motivational and emotional salience. This work was conducted in a longitudinal study of children recruited at well-child visits in Midwestern pediatric clinics at preschool age (N = 223, age range = 3-7 years). Group-based models (clustering and regression of clusters on clinical outcomes) indicated significant heterogeneity of self-regulation capacity in this sample. Meanwhile, variable-based models (continuous multiple regression) evidenced associations with concurrent clinical presentation, future symptoms, and impairment across the broad spectrum of psychopathology. Irritability transdiagnostically indicated internalizing and externalizing problems, concurrently and longitudinally. In contrast, inhibitory control was uniquely associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms. We present these findings to advance a joint consideration approach to two promising indicators of neurodevelopmental vulnerability and mental health risk. Models suggest that both emotional and cognitive self-regulation capacities can address challenges in characterizing the developmental unfolding of psychopathology from preschool to early childhood age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda N Nili
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 633 N. St. Clair, Suite 1900, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Sheila Krogh-Jespersen
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Susan B Perlman
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ryne Estabrook
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Phil R Sherlock
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 633 N. St. Clair, Suite 1900, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Norton
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- School of Communications, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Laurie S Wakschlag
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 633 N. St. Clair, Suite 1900, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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21
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Castillo A, Lopez LD. Studying hot executive function in infancy: Insights from research on emotional development. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 69:101773. [PMID: 36137464 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent calls have urged to bridge the fields of emotional and cognitive development to advance theoretical and empirical pursuits. Yet, despite notable overlap between research on executive function and emotion regulation, a uniting theory that informs future avenues of research is lacking. Infants are known to lack emotion regulation skills, as they are developing the abilities to regulate their emotions and coordinated responses. However, the field of emotional development demonstrates that at an early age, infants are adept at regulating their behaviors in response to others emotional reactions. Moreover, although classic delay of gratification tasks are fairly ecological measures, rarely are rules expressed to infants without emotions. This paper draws from recent interest in hot executive function to link infancy research on executive function and emotion. Hot executive function lends itself as a useful construct in this endeavor because it unites the study emotion and executive function. We offer a perspective that refines hot executive function within prominent emotion theories while discussing infant executive function and emotion empirical pursuits. Our perspective presents reliable paradigms from the field of emotional development to serve as tools for studying the development of hot executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lukas D Lopez
- Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, USA
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22
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Garon NM, English SD. Heterogeneity of decision-making strategies for preschoolers on a variant of the IGT. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2022; 11:811-824. [PMID: 34505556 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2021.1973470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive decision-making strategies are critical for dealing with the complexity of the social world. The present study investigated the use of decision-making strategies in preschoolers and their association to prosocial behavior and peer problems. Eighty-six preschoolers aged 3- and 4-years completed the preschool decision-making task (PGT), a child variant of the Iowa Gambling task . Win-stay/lose-shift responses along with exploration (consecutive choices from the advantageous deck) and exploitation (shifting between options) were examined. Preschoolers showed a range of strategies, with 4-year-olds adapting their approach as the game progressed and making better use of feedback in comparison to 3-year-olds. Children who differed in terms of choices from the advantageous deck were distinguished by different combinations of exploration and exploitation. Furthermore, unique combinations of decision-making strategies also distinguished children who were rated as high versus low in prosocial behavior as well as children rated as having a high versus low level of peer problems. The findings suggest that consideration of strategies used in decision-making tasks could provide useful insight in a clinical setting, particularly for populations with social difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Marie Garon
- Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, Canada
| | - Sarah D English
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
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23
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Huang R, Baker ER, Battista C, Liu Q. Executive Function and Theory of Mind in Children Living in Poverty: A Short-term Longitudinal Study. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2110873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rong Huang
- University at Albany, State University of New York, New York, New York, United States
| | - Erin Ruth Baker
- University at Albany, State University of New York, New York, New York, United States
| | - Carmela Battista
- University at Albany, State University of New York, New York, New York, United States
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24
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Wang Z, Gao X. Patience Is a Virtue: Theory of Mind Longitudinally Predicts Children's Delay during School Transition. Dev Neuropsychol 2022; 47:233-246. [PMID: 35786101 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2022.2094382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Four- to seven-year-old children participated in a battery of tasks assessing their theory of mind, conflict inhibition, and delay at time 1, and theory of mind and delay one year later at time 2. Cross-lagged analysis revealed that earlier theory of mind predicted later delay after controlling for earlier conflict inhibition and theory of mind, child age, and family socioeconomic status. The findings highlighted the dynamic nature of the association between theory of mind and delay during the school transition years in its strength and direction, and the increasing specificity in the structure of executive function with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenlin Wang
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaozi Gao
- Centre for Educational and Developmental Sciences, the Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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25
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Function of language skills in preschooler's problem-solving performance: The role of self-directed speech. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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26
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Blum M, Ribner A. Parents’ expressed emotions and children’s executive functions. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 219:105403. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Do Patterns of Levels of Socio-emotional Competence During Early Childhood Predict Executive Function at 4.5 Years? Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2022; 53:448-457. [PMID: 33611736 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-021-01128-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Socio-emotional competence and executive function both work together to meet the demands of the everyday environment. While many studies have focused on how various domains of socio-emotional competence are predicted by, or associated with executive function, the predictive influence of socio-emotional competence on executive function has largely been ignored despite strong theoretical links. In addition, contradictory information exists with regard to the divergent validity of two subtypes of executive function: cool and hot. Using data from 4839 children participating in three data collection waves (9 months, 2 years and 4.5 year) in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study, we examined how different patterns of socio-emotional competence development during the early preschool years (persistent lows, recent low, improved and no lows) related to cool and hot executive function measured at aged 4.5 using a hand clap task and a gift wrap task, respectively. Findings showed that children with persistent lows (with no improvement) in the levels of early socio-emotional competence had increased odds of having below average cool and hot executive function at 4.5 years. However, no difference was found in the influence of socio-emotional competence on cool and hot executive function. Possible explanations for these associations between socio-emotional competence and executive function are discussed.
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D’Aurizio G, Tempesta D, Saporito G, Pistoia F, Socci V, Mandolesi L, Curcio G. Can Stimulus Valence Modulate Task-Switching Ability? A Pilot Study on Primary School Children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116409. [PMID: 35681994 PMCID: PMC9180860 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Executive functions and emotional processes follow a time-dependent development that reflects the brain’s anatomo-functional maturation. Though the assessment of these cognitive functions is largely examined, in children the role of emotions in the mental set-shifting is still rarely investigated. The aim of this study was to assess how attention shifting can be modulated by the valence of emotional stimuli. To this end, sixty-two primary school children were tested with a new emotional task-switching paradigm obtained by manipulating the emotional valence and physical features of the stimulus pool. Thus, two tasks were alternatively presented: the Valence task and the Color task. Based on executive performance results, we found a lengthening of response times and a lower accuracy in the emotionally connoted task (Valence task), compared to the neutral task (Color task). The data demonstrate that the processing of emotional stimuli modulates the task-switching performance during development. These findings could help in the implementation of teaching strategies that can promote the development of executive functions and, therefore, functionally improve the overall academic performance of children. Finally, a better understanding of the developmental trajectories of executive functions can help neuropsychologists both in the early diagnosis and treatment of potential executive alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia D’Aurizio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.D.); (D.T.); (G.S.); (F.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Daniela Tempesta
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.D.); (D.T.); (G.S.); (F.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Gennaro Saporito
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.D.); (D.T.); (G.S.); (F.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Francesca Pistoia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.D.); (D.T.); (G.S.); (F.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Valentina Socci
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.D.); (D.T.); (G.S.); (F.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Laura Mandolesi
- Department of Humanities, University Federico II, 80138 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Curcio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.D.); (D.T.); (G.S.); (F.P.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-(0862)-433407
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Shimoni E, Berger A, Eyal T. Your pride is my goal: How the exposure to others’ positive emotional experience influences preschoolers’ delay of gratification. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 217:105356. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Giuliani NR, Kelly NR. Associations Among Food Delay of Gratification, Cognitive Measures, and Environment in a Community Preschool Sample. Front Nutr 2022; 9:788583. [PMID: 35479757 PMCID: PMC9036103 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.788583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Much of the work on the development of appetite self-regulation in early childhood employs tasks assessing Delay of Gratification (DoG). While this skill is thought to rely on "cool" cognitive processes like effortful control, executive functioning, and self-regulation, demonstration of how laboratory measures of food DoG relate to common assessments of those cognitive processes in community samples of children is needed. This study presents secondary data investigating the associations between two laboratory tasks of food DoG, the Snack Delay and Tongue Tasks, and an array of laboratory and parent-report cognitive measures in a sample of 88 children ages 3-6 (M age = 4.05, SD = 0.76), as well as how four measures of the child's environment were associated with food DoG. Results indicated that both measures of food DoG were positively correlated with performance on the cognitive tasks, with stronger associations observed for the Tongue Task. Family income was positively associated with food DoG as measured by the Tongue Task, and child negative life events in the past year were negatively correlated with food DoG as measured by the Snack Delay Task. These findings present the pattern of associations between cognitive tasks and food DoG, the development of which may be meaningfully affected by specific aspects of family environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R. Giuliani
- Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences, Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Nichole R. Kelly
- Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services, Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
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Stein SF, Riley HO, Kaciroti N, Rosenblum KL, Sturza JM, Gearhardt AN, Grogan-Kaylor AC, Lumeng JC, Miller AL. Infant Distress in a Food Delay Task Changes With Development and Predicts Amount Consumed. Front Nutr 2022; 9:786022. [PMID: 35464039 PMCID: PMC9021754 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.786022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Eating behavior regulation emerges during early development and involves general self-regulation (emotional, behavioral), appetite regulation (homeostatic metabolic need) and appetite self-regulation (including both Bottom-Up Food Approach and Bottom-Up Food Avoidance and top-down purposeful self-control of eating). Limited research has investigated developmental trajectories of the regulation of eating behavior before the preschool years. The current study used a novel food delay task to assess infant distress as an early emerging marker of eating behavior regulation constructs across early infancy and examine associations with amount of milk consumed. Method Mother-infant dyads (n = 179) completed the Ability to Delay Gratification for Food in Infants Task (ATDG-FIT) at 2 weeks, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks of age. The ATDG-FIT required infants to wait before being fed while their bottle was present, but not accessible (3-min Pre-Feeding Delay). After this, the infant was fed for 1 min, then the feeding was paused for 30 s (Mid-Feeding Delay). Infant distress was coded during each feeding delay period and the amount of milk consumed was measured. Results The mean proportion of distress during the Pre-Feeding Delay period decreased from 8 to 16 weeks of age (F(2,230) = 15.02, p < 0.001), whereas the mean proportion of distress during the Mid-Feeding Delay increased from 2 to 8 weeks of age (F(2,230) = 27.04, p < 0.001). There was a positive interaction between distress during Mid-Feeding Delay and infant age predicting the amount consumed in the protocol (ß = 0.30, p = 0.022), suggesting that the association between distress during this part of the task and amount consumed strengthens as infants get older. Conclusion The ATDG-FIT may be an effective method to assess emerging eating behavior regulation constructs during early infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara F. Stein
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Sara F. Stein,
| | - Hurley O. Riley
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Niko Kaciroti
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | | | - Julie M. Sturza
- Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Ashley N. Gearhardt
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | | | - Julie C. Lumeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Alison L. Miller
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Dumont É, Castellanos-Ryan N, Parent S, Jacques S, Séguin JR, Zelazo PD. Transactional longitudinal relations between accuracy and reaction time on a measure of cognitive flexibility at 5, 6, and 7 years of age. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13254. [PMID: 35195319 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Whereas accuracy is used as an indicator of cognitive flexibility in preschool-age children, reaction time (RT), or a combination of accuracy and RT, provide better indices of performance as children transition to school. Theoretical models and cross-sectional studies suggest that a speed-accuracy tradeoff may be operating across this transition, but the lack of longitudinal studies makes this transition difficult to understand. The current study explored the longitudinal and bidirectional associations between accuracy and RT on the DCCS (mixed block) at 5, 6, and 7 years of age using cross-lagged panel analyses. The study also examined the roles of working memory and language, as potential longitudinal mediators between RT at Time X and accuracy at Time X + 1, and explored the role of inhibitory control. The sample consisted of 425 children from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Results show lagged associations from slower RT to greater improvements in accuracy between 5 and 6 years and between 6 and 7 years. Further, higher accuracy at 6 years predicted faster RT at 7 years. Only working memory acted as a partial mediator between RT at 5 years and accuracy at 6 years. These results provide needed longitudinal evidence to support theoretical claims that slower RT precedes improved accuracy in the development of cognitive flexibility, that working memory may be involved in the early stage of this process, and that accuracy and reaction time become more efficient in later stages of this process. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Émilie Dumont
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Natalie Castellanos-Ryan
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sophie Parent
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sophie Jacques
- Departement of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jean R Séguin
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Departement of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Philip David Zelazo
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Abstract
The current study examined concurrent relationships between children's self-regulation, measured behaviorally and by parent-report, and children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The aim was to distinguish which components of self-regulation (attention vs. inhibitory control, "hot" vs. "cool" regulation) best predict dimensional symptomatology and clinical disorders in young children. The participants were 120 children, ages 4-8 years old. Results showed that greater parent-reported attention was associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Behaviorally-measured hot inhibitory control related to fewer internalizing symptoms, whereas parent-reported inhibitory control related to fewer externalizing symptoms. Similar patterns emerged for clinical diagnoses, with parent-rated attention most strongly predicting disorders across domains. Results support prior evidence implicating self-regulatory deficits in externalizing problems, while also demonstrating that components of self-regulation are impaired with internalizing symptoms. Further, different sub-components of self-regulation relate to different dimensions of psychopathology in children. Interventions should target these areas in children at-risk for disorders.
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Silva C, Sousa-Gomes V, Fávero M, Oliveira S, Merendeiro CS, Oliveira J, Moreira D. Assessment of Preschool-age Executive Functions: A Systematic Review. Clin Psychol Psychother 2022; 29:1374-1391. [PMID: 35112430 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2718] [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: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Executive functions (EF) are higher-order cognitive processes present in the prefrontal cortex, and are fundamental in planning, executing, and monitoring goal-oriented behaviors. Evaluating EF in early stages of child development is essential for identifying any cognitive alterations in young children, given that it allows for early intervention and minimizes future complications. Additionally, it contributes to a better understanding of this construct in this age bracket, as well as its operational model. Study of EF has recently been the focus of multiple researcher; however, there is still a serious lack of instruments and measurements validated towards children's age bracket. This systematic review's main goal is to evaluate instruments and/or tasks that serve to evaluate and analyze EF and/or their components between the ages of 36 and 72 months. Forty-nine studies were analyzed, containing multiple tasks and tools oriented towards EF and their constituent components. Results indicate the existence of various tasks that grade the different components independently from one another; nevertheless, they also confirm the lack of any global measurement instrument or method. Therefore, this systematic review presents itself as an important contribution in the study of EF, not only stressing the importance of further investing into constructing and validating new and better tools for evaluating the construct, but also the study of operating models of executive functioning, especially in an age bracket where comprehending it is notoriously difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Silva
- University of Maia.,Institute of Psychology and Neuropsychology of Porto
| | - Valéria Sousa-Gomes
- University of Maia.,Institute of Psychology and Neuropsychology of Porto.,JusGov, University of Minho
| | | | - Susana Oliveira
- University of Maia.,Institute of Psychology and Neuropsychology of Porto
| | | | | | - Diana Moreira
- Institute of Psychology and Neuropsychology of Porto.,University of Porto.,University Fernando Pessoa.,Centro de Solidariedade de Braga/Projecto Homem
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35
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Wilson J, Hogan C, Wang S, Andrews G, Shum D. Executive function moderates the relationship between temperament and psychological difficulties in middle childhood. Child Neuropsychol 2022; 28:831-852. [PMID: 35109757 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.2023121] [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: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined the possible moderating influence of hot and cool executive function (EF) on the relationship between temperament and psychological difficulties in middle childhood. One hundred and twenty-six children and their parents (n = 105) participated. Children aged between 5 and 12 years completed three hot (motivational decision-making on the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT), delayed gratification, and Theory of Mind [ToM]) and three cool EF (working memory, inhibition, and attentional set shifting) measures. Children's parents completed the Behavioral Inhibition Sensitivity (BIS) and Behavioral Approach Sensitivity (BAS) Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Hot EF (CGT, ToM) exacerbated the relationship between BAS and externalizing problems. Neither hot nor cool EF moderated the relationship between BIS and internalizing problems. The current findings provide further evidence of a hot-cool distinction in EF in middle childhood, suggesting that these constructs should be investigated separately when assessing EF. In addition, by considering potential interactions between temperament and EF, clinicians/researchers may be able to predict broad categories of psychological problems in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christy Hogan
- School of Applied Psychology and the Hopkins Centre, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University Australia
| | - Si Wang
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University Australia
| | - Glenda Andrews
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University Australia
| | - David Shum
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University Australia.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
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Mphahlele RM, Meyer A, Pillay BJ. Working memory and set-shifting in school-aged children classified as having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. S Afr J Psychiatr 2022; 28:1729. [PMID: 35169513 PMCID: PMC8831923 DOI: 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v28i0.1729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ramatladi M Mphahlele
- Department of Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Anneke Meyer
- Department of Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Basil J Pillay
- Department of Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Giguere D, Dickson DJ, Tulloch MK, Hoff E. Majority language skill, not measures of bilingualism, predicts executive attention in bilingual children. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 213:105256. [PMID: 34384946 PMCID: PMC10408728 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Evidence is mixed regarding whether and why bilingual children might be advantaged in the development of executive functions. Five preregistered hypotheses regarding sources of a bilingual advantage were tested with data from 102 Spanish-English bilingual children and 25 English monolingual children who were administered a test of executive attention, the flanker task, at 7, 8, and 9 years of age. Measures of the children's early and concurrent bilingual exposure and their concurrent English and Spanish skill were available from a larger longitudinal study in which these children participated. Tests of the preregistered hypotheses yielded null findings: The bilingual children's executive attention abilities were unrelated to their amount of early exposure to mixed input, to balance in their early dual language exposure, to balance in their concurrent exposure, to their degree of bilingualism, or to their combined Spanish + English vocabulary score. English vocabulary score was a positive significant correlate of executive attention among the bilingual children, but those bilingual children above the group median in English vocabulary did not outperform the monolingual children when the comparison was adjusted for nonverbal IQ. These findings suggest that a language learning ability may explain the association between bilingualism and executive function. Because the best statistical approach to testing for effects on differences is a matter of dispute, all analyses were conducted with both a difference score and a residual gain score as the outcome variable. The central findings, but not all findings, were the same with both approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Giguere
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA 95819, USA.
| | - Daniel J Dickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H2L 2C4, Canada
| | - Michelle K Tulloch
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL 33314, USA
| | - Erika Hoff
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL 33314, USA
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Friedman NP, Robbins TW. The role of prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:72-89. [PMID: 34408280 PMCID: PMC8617292 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01132-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 146.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Concepts of cognitive control (CC) and executive function (EF) are defined in terms of their relationships with goal-directed behavior versus habits and controlled versus automatic processing, and related to the functions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and related regions and networks. A psychometric approach shows unity and diversity in CC constructs, with 3 components in the most commonly studied constructs: general or common CC and components specific to mental set shifting and working memory updating. These constructs are considered against the cellular and systems neurobiology of PFC and what is known of its functional neuroanatomical or network organization based on lesioning, neurochemical, and neuroimaging approaches across species. CC is also considered in the context of motivation, as "cool" and "hot" forms. Its Common CC component is shown to be distinct from general intelligence (g) and closely related to response inhibition. Impairments in CC are considered as possible causes of psychiatric symptoms and consequences of disorders. The relationships of CC with the general factor of psychopathology (p) and dimensional constructs such as impulsivity in large scale developmental and adult populations are considered, as well as implications for genetic studies and RDoC approaches to psychiatric classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi P Friedman
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience and Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Fujita N, Devine RT, Hughes C. Theory of mind and executive function in early childhood: A cross-cultural investigation. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Grammer AC, Balantekin KN, Barch DM, Markson L, Wilfley DE. Parent-Child influences on child eating self-regulation and weight in early childhood: A systematic review. Appetite 2022; 168:105733. [PMID: 34619243 PMCID: PMC8671268 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Individual differences in child eating self-regulation are associated with excess weight gain and may be explained, in part, by the family feeding environment and a child's general propensity to self-regulate outside of the context of eating (i.e., general self-regulation). Several studies have examined the associations between food parenting behaviors, child eating and general self-regulation, and child weight separately. However, there are a paucity of data on whether and how these factors interact to confer risk for weight gain in early childhood. The current systematic review identified 32 longitudinal studies that examined unidirectional or bidirectional associations among one or more of the following paths: food parenting behaviors and child eating self-regulation (path 1); child eating self-regulation and child weight (path 2); child eating self-regulation and child general self-regulation (path 3); food parenting behaviors and child general self-regulation (path 4); and child general self-regulation and child weight (path 5). Results indicated relationships of food parenting behaviors to child eating self-regulation, child weight to child eating self-regulation, and child general self-regulation to child weight. However, there were scant longitudinal data that examined paths 3 and 4. Further research on the developmental correlates of child eating self-regulation is needed to identify parent and child targets for early childhood obesity prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Claire Grammer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Katherine N Balantekin
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lori Markson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Denise E Wilfley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Mehsen V, Morag L, Chesta S, Cleaton K, Burgos H. Hot Executive Function Assessment Instruments in Preschool Children: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:95. [PMID: 35010356 PMCID: PMC8750992 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to systematically analyze the empirical evidence that is available concerning batteries, tests or instruments that assess hot executive functions (EFs) in preschoolers, identifying which are the most used instruments, as well as the most evaluated hot EFs. For the review and selection of articles, the systematic review methodology PRISMA was used. The article search considered the EBSCO, Web of Science (WoS), SciELO and PubMed databases, with the keywords "Hot executive function", "Assessment", "test", "evaluation", using the Boolean operators AND and OR indistinctly, between 2000 and April 2021. Twenty-four articles were selected and analyzed. The most commonly used instruments to assess hot EFs in preschool children were the Delayed Gratification Task, the Child's Play Task, and the Delayed Reward Task. Amongst those analyzed, 17 instruments were found to assess hot EFs in preschoolers. The accuracy and conceptual clarity between the assessment of cognitive and emotional components in EFs is still debatable. Nevertheless, the consideration of affective temperature and reward stimulus type, could be an important influence when assessing EFs in this age range. Evidence of the possible involvement of cortical and subcortical structures, as well as the limbic system, in preschool executive functioning assessment has also been incorporated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Héctor Burgos
- Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Temuco 4801043, Chile; (V.M.); (L.M.); (S.C.); (K.C.)
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Applying new RDoC dimensions to the development of emotion regulation: Examining the influence of maternal emotion regulation on within-individual change in child emotion regulation. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 33:1821-1836. [DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421000948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWhile the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) acknowledges that environmental and developmental influences represent important elements of the RDoC framework, there is little specificity regarding how and when to systematically examine the impact of these dimensions on domains of function. The primary aims of this paper are to demonstrate the ways in which the RDoC can be expanded to include an explicit emphasis on (a) assessing within-individual change in developmental processes over time and (b) evaluating the extent to which selective and measurable environmental influences drive meaningful change during key developmental periods. We provide data from an ongoing randomized control trial as a proof of concept to highlight how repeated assessments within an experimental intervention design affords the unique opportunity to test the impact of environmental influences on within-individual change. Using preliminary data from 77 mother–child dyads repeatedly assessed across 12 months during the sensitive preschool period, we demonstrate the impact of change in maternal emotion regulation (ER) on within-individual growth in child ER and link that growth to fewer teacher-reported externalizing problems. In line with this Special Issue, findings are discussed within the context of expanding and clarifying the existing RDoC framework to explicitly incorporate environmental and developmental dimensions.
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Self-regulatory processes in early childhood as predictors of Hispanic children's BMI z-scores during the elementary school years: Differences by acculturation and gender. Appetite 2021; 168:105778. [PMID: 34715245 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, longitudinal research has shown that children's general, top-down self-regulation during early childhood is negatively associated with children's weight status in elementary school. The samples in these previous studies have been primarily White, and no study to date has examined this issue in a sample of Hispanic children from low-income families-a population at high risk for childhood obesity. The present study followed 130 Hispanic children over a time period of three to just under five years, examining the degree to which multiple measures of general, top-down self-regulation, along with a measure of appetite regulation (eating in the absence of hunger), predicted children's BMI z-scores in the early elementary school years. Results showed that children's ability to delay gratification in the preschool years was negatively associated with later BMI z-scores and that children's eating in the absence of hunger was positively associated. In separate models by gender, these relationships were significant only for girls. Moreover, analyses run separately for children of mothers low or high on acculturation showed that the relationship between delay of gratification and later BMI z-scores was significant only for children whose mothers were low on acculturation. Possible socialization and environmental factors contributing to these findings are considered.
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Barnes SP, Bailey R, Jones SM. Evaluating the Impact of a Targeted Approach Designed to Build Executive Function Skills: A Randomized Trial of Brain Games. Front Psychol 2021; 12:655246. [PMID: 34658989 PMCID: PMC8518708 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reports results from an impact study of Brain Games (BGs), a classroom-based intervention designed to build preschool and school-aged children’s executive functions (EFs) and related self-regulation skills. The study employed a classroom-randomized, experimental design with 626 students in 36 pre-K through fourth grade classrooms in charter schools in a mid-sized urban district. In one set of models with child covariates, children in intervention classrooms showed marginal positive impacts on regulation-related behaviors, attention control and impulsivity, and negative effects on global EF and marginal increases in discipline problems. A second set of models with a smaller sample and both child and classroom covariates included indicate positive impacts of BGs on global EFs, prosocial behavior, and attention control and impulsivity. There were no significant impacts on the teacher–student relationship as reported by the teacher or on direct assessments of inhibitory control, short term and working memory, or another measure of global EF in either set of models. These promising findings offer a signal that implementation of targeted, easy to implement intervention approaches in classroom contexts can influence children’s regulation-related and prosocial outcomes, but this signal should be investigated further with larger and more tightly controlled designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie P Barnes
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Rebecca Bailey
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Wilson J, Hogan C, Wang S, Andrews G, Shum DHK. Relations between Executive Functions, Theory of Mind, and Functional Outcomes in Middle Childhood. Dev Neuropsychol 2021; 46:518-536. [PMID: 34636714 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2021.1988086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
This study examined whether hot and cool executive functions (EFs) differentially predicted functional outcomes and the independent and mediating roles of theory of mind (ToM). 126 children completed tests of hot and cool EF, ToM, intelligence, and academic achievement. Parents completed questionnaires of peer problems and prosocial behavior. Hot and cool EFs differentially predicted intelligence and academic achievement, supporting a hot-cool distinction. ToM predicted word reading and prosocial behavior but did not mediate any associations between EF and functional outcomes. Findings contribute to current understandings of EF and its relationship with functional outcomes in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Wilson
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christy Hogan
- School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University
| | - Si Wang
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Glenda Andrews
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - David H K Shum
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
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Bryant LJ, Cuevas K. The effects of reward on children's Stroop performance: Interactions with temperament. Child Dev 2021; 93:e17-e31. [PMID: 34516011 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The effects of rewards on executive function (EF) reflect bidirectional interactions among motivational and executive systems that vary with age and temperament. However, methodological limitations hinder understanding of the precise influences of incentives on early EF, including the role of reward sensitivity. In this within-subjects study, ninety-three 3.5- to 5-year-olds (42 girls; 22% Hispanic; 78% White) residing in the United States completed equivalent EF measures (Stroop and non-Stroop phases) in both rewarded and non-rewarded conditions. Rewards enhanced Stroop accuracy and slowed overall response times (ds = 0.29-0.40). Critically, children with low parent-reported reward sensitivity exhibited greater reward-based increases in Stroop accuracy (r = -.30). These findings provide valuable insights on early motivation-cognition integration, highlighting temperament as a mechanism underlying these interactions.
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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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48
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Moriguchi Y. Relationship between cool and hot executive function in young children: A near-infrared spectroscopy study. Dev Sci 2021; 25:e13165. [PMID: 34327776 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A theoretical distinction exists between the cool and hot aspects of executive function (EF). At the neural level, cool EF may be associated with activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas the orbitofrontal cortex may play a key role in hot EF. However, some recent studies have shown that young children show activity in the lateral prefrontal regions during hot EF tasks, suggesting that the distinction between hot and cool EF may not be as marked. Nevertheless, few neuroimaging studies have directly examined the relationship between cool and hot EF. In this study, preschool children (N = 46, mean age = 66.1 months) were given both cool (Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) and Stroop-like tasks) and hot (delay of gratification) EF tasks, and neural activation during these tasks was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Correlational analyses and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to assess the relationship between cool and hot EF. At the behavioral level, a moderate correlation was found between DCCS and Stroop-like tasks, but no correlation emerged between cool and hot EF tasks. At the neural level, prefrontal activations during the cool EF tasks did not correlate with those during the hot EF task. Further, children showed stronger prefrontal activations during the DCCS tasks compared to the delay of gratification tasks. The results suggest that the neural basis of hot and cool EF may differ during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Moriguchi
- Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Yoshidahoncho, Kyoto, Japan
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Pomper R, Kaushanskaya M, Saffran J. Change is hard: Individual differences in children's lexical processing and executive functions after a shift in dimensions. LANGUAGE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT 2021; 18:229-247. [PMID: 35600505 PMCID: PMC9122267 DOI: 10.1080/15475441.2021.1947289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Language comprehension involves cognitive abilities that are specific to language as well as cognitive abilities that are more general and involved in a wide range of behaviors. One set of domain-general abilities that support language comprehension are executive functions (EFs), also known as cognitive control. A diverse body of research has demonstrated that EFs support language comprehension when there is conflict between competing, incompatible interpretations of temporarily ambiguous words or phrases. By engaging EFs, children and adults are able to select or bias their attention towards the correct interpretation. However, the degree to which language processing engages EFs in the absence of ambiguity is poorly understood. In the current experiment, we tested whether EFs may be engaged when comprehending speech that does not elicit conflicting interpretations. Different components of EFs were measured using several behavioral tasks and language comprehension was measured using an eye-tracking procedure. Five-year-old children (n=56) saw pictures of familiar objects and heard sentences identifying the objects using either their names or colors. After a series of objects were identified using one dimension, children were significantly less accurate in fixating target objects that were identified using a second dimension. Further results reveal that this decrease in accuracy does not occur because children struggle to shift between dimensions, but rather because they are unable to predict which dimension will be used. These effects of predictability are related to individual differences in children's EFs. Taken together, these findings suggest that EFs may be more broadly involved when children comprehend language, even in instances that do not require conflict resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron Pomper
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Margarita Kaushanskaya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Goodnight Hall, 1975 Willow Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jenny Saffran
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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Giuliani NR, Harrington EM, Trevino SD. Intergenerational transmission of appetite self-regulation. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 76:101330. [PMID: 36911419 PMCID: PMC10003670 DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Parents and other primary caregivers affect the development of children's self-regulation in myriad ways, including via the parent's own self-regulation abilities. Ample evidence supports the association between mother and child self-regulation, yet this has never been experimentally assessed with regard to appetite self-regulation, the self-regulation of food intake. This study sought to explicitly test the associations between mother and child self-regulation across 3 domains: (1) appetite, (2) attentional control, and (3) inhibitory control. A community sample of 88 mother-preschooler dyads (ages 3-5) participated in this cross-sectional, experimental study. Results demonstrated that maternal self-regulation was significantly positively associated with child self-regulation in the appetite domain, b = 0.52, t(63.54) = 2.39, p = .020, but not for attentional or inhibitory control. These results add to the literature on parental influences on self-regulation development in early childhood and suggest that patterns of mother-child associations may vary across domains of self-regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R. Giuliani
- Special Education and Clinical Sciences, University of Oregon, United States of America
| | - Ellie M. Harrington
- Special Education and Clinical Sciences, University of Oregon, United States of America
| | - Shaina D. Trevino
- Counseling Psychology and Human Services, University of Oregon, United States of America
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