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. 2011 Aug;21(4):327-336.
doi: 10.1016/j.lindif.2011.01.007.

Relations between Executive Function and Academic Achievement from Ages 5 to 17 in a Large, Representative National Sample

John R Best  1 , Patricia H Miller, Jack A Naglieri
Affiliations

Relations between Executive Function and Academic Achievement from Ages 5 to 17 in a Large, Representative National Sample

John R Best et al. Learn Individ Differ. 2011 Aug.

Abstract

This study examined age-related changes in complex executive function (EF) in a large, representative sample (N = 2,036) aged 5 to 17 using the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS; Naglieri & Das, 1997a). Relations between complex EF and academic achievement were examined on a sub-sample (N = 1,395) given the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement-Revised (Woodcock & Johnson, 1989). Performance on the three complex EF tasks improved until at least age 15, although improvement slowed with increasing age and varied some across tasks. Moreover, the different developmental patterns in the correlations between completion time and accuracy provide clues to developmental processes. Examination of individual achievement subtests clarified the specific aspects of academic performance most related to complex EF. Finally, the correlation between complex EF and academic achievement varied across ages, but the developmental pattern of the strength of these correlations was remarkably similar for overall math and reading achievement, suggesting a domain-general relation between complex EF and academic achievement.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Standard performance means by task and each age group. MN = Matching Numbers; PC = Planned Codes; PCn = Planned Connections.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standard performance scores by age for completion time and accuracy measures on Matching Numbers. MN = Matching Numbers.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Standard performance scores by age for completion time and accuracy on Planned Codes. PC = Planned Codes.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The rate of change between age groups by subtest expressed in d ratios. MN = Matching Numbers; PC = Planned Codes; PCn = Planned Connections.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Pearson correlations between EF subtests and math and reading achievement. All correlations are significant at p < .05. MN = Matching Numbers; PC = Planned Codes; PCn = Planned Connections.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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