Preschool Executive Functioning and Child Behavior: Association with Learning Prerequisites?

Abstract

Preschool age is a golden period for the emergence of executive functions (EFs) that, in turn, predict learning and adaptive behavior throughout all life. The study was aimed to identify which EFs measures significantly explained the learning prerequisites and the mediation role of self-regulatory and executive behavior recorded in structured or free settings. One hundred and twenty-seven preschoolers were remotely assessed by standardized tests of response inhibition, working memory, control of interference, and cognitive flexibility. Teachers provided a global measure of learning prerequisites by an observational questionnaire. Self-regulatory behavior during the assessment was evaluated by a rating scale filled by the examiners. Executive function behavior in daily life was measured by a questionnaire filled by parents. Accuracy in tasks of response inhibition and working memory explained about 48% of the variability in learning prerequisites while response speed and accuracy in the control of interference and in cognitive flexibility were not significant. EFs also had indirect effects, mediated by the child's self-regulatory behavior evaluated during the assessment but not in daily life. The results are interpreted with respect to the contribution of the main EF components to school readiness and the mediation of the child behavior as measured in structure contexts.

Keywords: behavior; child; executive functions; inhibition; learning prerequisites; self-regulation; working memory.

Figure 1

Example of the stimuli used for the Dimensional Change Card Sort test. Top: pictures of the two letter-boxes; bottom: an example of the stimulus target.

Figure 2

Example of the stimuli used in the Flanker test (incongruent condition).

Figure 3

Example of the items used in the Mr. Giraffe test (5 spots—condition).

Figure 4

Direct and indirect effect of the EFs ((a): correct responses at Go-NoGo Test Go condition; (b): correct responses at Go-NoGo Test NoGo condition; (c): correct responses at Mr. Giraffe test) on the IPDA score via the Self-regulation behavior during structured activities scores. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.

Figure 5

Direct and indirect effect of the EFs ((a): correct responses at Go-NoGo Test Go condition; (b): correct responses at Go-NoGo Test NoGo condition; (c): correct responses at Mr. Giraffe test) on the IPDA score via the Executive function behavior scores. * p < 0.05; *** p < 0.001.