Attention in preschoolers: associations with effortful control and motivation

Abstract

The current study examined how individual differences in children's temperament and motivation relate to attention skills in children from economically disadvantaged families. A total of 73 mother-child dyads participated in this study. Children were between the ages of 3 and 5, and all attended a Head Start program. Using multiple hierarchical regression analyses, the hypotheses that effortful control (an aspect of temperament) and motivation would individually and collectively relate to attention skills were supported. The current study supports the importance of understanding attention as a multifaceted concept (Posner & Petersen, 1990) that relates to cognitive, socioemotional, and motivational systems. The utility of applying a systems approach to school readiness issues in children of poverty is discussed.