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Vrantsidis DM, Klebanoff MA, Yeates KO, Murnan A, Fried P, Boone KM, Rausch J, Keim SA. Associations of prenatal stress with 5-year-old children's executive function in a low socioeconomic status population. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38706341 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000890] [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: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal stress has a significant, but small, negative effect on children's executive function (EF) in middle and high socioeconomic status (SES) households. Importantly, rates and severity of prenatal stress are higher and protective factors are reduced in lower SES households, suggesting prenatal stress may be particularly detrimental for children's EF in this population. This study examined whether prenatal stress was linked to 5-year-old's EF in a predominantly low SES sample and child sex moderated this association, as males may be more vulnerable to adverse prenatal experiences. Participants were 132 mother-child dyads drawn from a prospective prenatal cohort. Mothers reported on their depression symptoms, trait anxiety, perceived stress, everyday discrimination, and sleep quality at enrollment and once each trimester, to form a composite prenatal stress measure. Children's EF was assessed at age 5 years using the parent-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool (BRIEF-P) Global Executive Composite subscale and neuropsychological tasks completed by the children. Mixed models revealed higher prenatal stress was associated with lower BRIEF-P scores, indicating better EF, for females only. Higher prenatal stress was associated with lower performance on neuropsychological EF measures for both males and females. Results add to the limited evidence about prenatal stress effects on children's EF in low SES households.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark A Klebanoff
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Keith Owen Yeates
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Aaron Murnan
- College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Peter Fried
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kelly M Boone
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Joseph Rausch
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sarah A Keim
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
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2
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Mengxia L. Preschoolers' cognitive flexibility and emotion understanding: a developmental perspective. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1280739. [PMID: 38390421 PMCID: PMC10881749 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1280739] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing tasks or problems, while emotion understanding is the ability to interpret emotional cues and information in different contexts. Both abilities are crucial for preschoolers' socialization. Methods This study selected 532 preschool children aged 3-6 years from two kindergartens in a central province of China. The Dimensional Change Card Sorting (DCCS) task and emotion understanding tasks were used to investigate the developmental characteristics of cognitive flexibility, emotion understanding abilities, and their relationship. Results The results showed: (1) For cognitive flexibility, children older than 5 years scored significantly higher than younger children, and girls scored higher than boys. (2) For facial emotion recognition: (i) Children's recognition scores for happy, sad, and angry expressions were significantly higher than fear; children could accurately recognize happy, sad, and angry emotions by age 3, while fear recognition developed rapidly after age 5; (ii) Girls scored higher in recognizing fearful faces than boys. (3) For situational emotion understanding: (i) Children's development followed the hierarchical order of external, desire, clue, and belief-based understanding. Situational and desire-based understanding already reached high levels by age 3, while clue and belief-based understanding developed quickly after age 5; (ii) Girls scored higher than boys in belief-based emotion understanding. (4) Cognitive flexibility significantly predicted children's facial emotion recognition, external and desire-based emotion understanding. Discussion Parents and teachers should cultivate children's cognitive flexibility and provide personalized support. They should also fully grasp the characteristics of children's emotion understanding development, systematically nurture their emotion understanding abilities, and leverage cognitive flexibility training to improve their emotion understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Mengxia
- Faculty of Management of the Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
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3
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Van den Brande A, Bollen B, Boets B, Naulaers G, Ortibus E. Executive Function Assessment in 2-Year-Olds Born Preterm. Neuropediatrics 2024; 55:16-22. [PMID: 36720262 DOI: 10.1055/a-2023-9280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our objective was to investigate the executive function and its relationship with gestational age, sex, maternal education, and neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years corrected age in children born preterm. METHOD Executive function was assessed by means of the Multisearch Multilocation Task (MSML), Reversed Categorization Task (RevCat), and Snack Delay Task (SDT). Infant and maternal characteristics were gathered from the child's record. The developmental outcome was measured by the Bayley Scales and a multidisciplinary risk evaluation for autism. RESULTS The executive function battery was completed by 97 children. The majority were able to successfully complete the MSML and SDT but failed RevCat. The lower the gestational age and the maternal education, the lower the executive function scores. Better cognition and motor function, as well as low autism risk, were associated with better executive function scores. Executive function was not related to sex. INTERPRETATION This cohort study provides evidence that it is feasible to assess executive function in 2-year-olds born preterm. Executive function is related to gestational age and maternal education and is positively correlated with behavioral outcome. Therefore, executive functions can be a valuable target for early intervention, resulting in improvements in neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born preterm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Van den Brande
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bieke Bollen
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Leuven Autism Research consortium, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gunnar Naulaers
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Els Ortibus
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Bruce M, Savla J, Bell MA. From terrible twos to sassy sixes: The development of vocabulary and executive functioning across early childhood. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13396. [PMID: 37042169 PMCID: PMC10567994 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13396] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Across the early childhood period of development, young children exhibit considerable growth in their executive functioning (EF) and vocabulary abilities. Understanding the developmental trajectory of these seemingly interrelated processes is important as both early vocabulary and EF have been shown to predict critical academic and socio-emotional outcomes later in childhood. Although previous research suggests that EF and vocabulary are correlated in early childhood, much of the existing longitudinal research has focused on unidirectional relations among preschool child samples. The current large-scale study, therefore, sought to examine whether children's vocabulary and EF abilities are bidirectionally related over time across four measurement waves in early childhood (i.e., at ages 2, 3, 4, and 6). At each timepoint, children's vocabulary skills were positively correlated with their concurrent EF abilities. After controlling for child sex and maternal education status, the best-fitting, cross-lagged panel model was a unidirectional model whereby children's early vocabulary scores predicted their later EF performance at each timepoint. Although age 2 EF significantly predicted age 3 vocabulary size, this association was no longer significant after accounting for maternal education status. Our results illustrate that vocabulary size plays an important role in predicting children's later EF performance across various timepoints in early childhood, even after controlling for children's initial EF scores. These findings have important implications for intervention research as fostering early vocabulary acquisition may serve as a possible avenue for improving EF outcomes in young children. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Children's vocabulary size is positively correlated with their concurrent executive functioning skill at ages 2, 3, 4, and 6 Young children's early vocabulary scores predict their later EF performance across measurement waves, even after controlling for initial EF skill There is stability in children's relative vocabulary size and executive functioning performance over time in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Bruce
- Virginia Tech, Department of Psychology, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jyoti Savla
- Virginia Tech, Department of Human Development & Family Science, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Martha Ann Bell
- Virginia Tech, Department of Psychology, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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Patwardhan I, Gordon C, Mason WA. Trajectories of cognitive flexibility through kindergarten and first grade: Implications for externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in the second grade. Dev Psychol 2023; 59:1794-1806. [PMID: 37768615 PMCID: PMC10544856 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001597] [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] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Developmental delays in cognitive flexibility early in elementary school can potentially increase vulnerability for subsequent externalizing and internalizing psychopathology. The first goal of the current study was to identify latent subgroups of children characterized by different developmental trajectories of cognitive flexibility throughout kindergarten and first grade using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011 dataset. The second goal was to examine whether identified longitudinal developmental trajectories of cognitive flexibility could be associated with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in the second grade, while accounting for background child (age, gender, and Spanish-speaking) and family (family income and mother's education) covariates. The analytic sample consisted of 15,827 kindergarteners (51.20% male; 48.50% White, 13.5% Black/African American, 24.3% Hispanic/Latino, 7.60% Asian, and 6.1% other), who were approximately 5.62 years old (SD = 4.48 months) at the study's outset. Most children lived in households with medium family income of approximately $50,000-$55,000. Using a growth mixture modeling approach, our analyses identified normative (91.05%; 50.4% male) and delayed (8.95%; 59.4% male) cognitive flexibility groups and demonstrated that delayed developers have higher levels of externalizing and internalizing behaviors in the second grade, even after adjusting for background covariates. Our findings, in conjunction with research on cognitive flexibility training, suggest that caregivers may lower the risk for externalizing and internalizing behaviors in delayed developers by correcting inflexible thinking, encouraging alternative solutions, and providing emotional support when children face challenging problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Patwardhan
- Boys Town Translational Research Center for Child and Family Studies, 14015 Flanagan Blvd #202, Boys Town, NE 68010 US
| | - Chanelle Gordon
- Boys Town Translational Research Center for Child and Family Studies, 14015 Flanagan Blvd #202, Boys Town, NE 68010 US
| | - W. Alex Mason
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 66 N. Pauline St., suite 637, Memphis, TN, 38163
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Gaskins D, Rundblad G. Metaphor production in the bilingual acquisition of English and Polish. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1162486. [PMID: 37599708 PMCID: PMC10434249 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1162486] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Metaphor acquisition research has focused mostly on metaphor comprehension in monolingual children. Ours is the first study to examine metaphor production in young bilinguals. A quantitative method was employed whereby sixty-two children aged three to six, with English and Polish, were tested on their ability to produce primary (e.g., a long day) and perceptual resemblance metaphors (e.g., You're my sunshine) in response to elicitation tasks. A univariate ANOVA revealed that the main factors to affect the production of conventional metaphors in bilingual children are their chronological age and their verbal skills in both English and Polish. No significant effect was found for nonverbal IQ, metaphor type, or testing language. These results are discussed in the context of both Conceptual Metaphor Theory, which has been concerned with the study of primary (and other conceptual) metaphors, and Structure Mapping Theory, which has focused on the use of perceptual resemblance metaphors. Usage-Based Theory is brought in to explain lexical effects in metaphor production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Gaskins
- Education, Communication and Society, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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Bobrowicz K, Thibaut JP. The Development of Flexible Problem Solving: An Integrative Approach. J Intell 2023; 11:119. [PMID: 37367522 DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence11060119] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Flexible problem solving, the ability to deal with currently goal-irrelevant information that may have been goal-relevant in previous, similar situations, plays a prominent role in cognitive development and has been repeatedly investigated in developmental research. However, this research, spanning from infancy to the school years, lacks a unifying framework, obscuring the developmental timing of flexible problem solving. Therefore, in this review paper, previous findings are gathered, organized, and integrated under a common framework to unveil how and when flexible problem solving develops. It is showed that the development of flexible problem solving coincides with increases in executive functions, that is, inhibition, working memory and task switching. The analysis of previous findings shows that dealing with goal-irrelevant, non-salient information received far more attention than generalizing in the presence of goal-irrelevant, salient information. The developmental timing of the latter can only be inferred from few transfer studies, as well as executive functions, planning and theory of mind research, to highlight gaps in knowledge and sketch out future research directions. Understanding how transfer in the presence of seemingly relevant but truly irrelevant information develops has implications for well-balanced participation in information societies, early and lifespan education, and investigating the evolutionary trajectory of flexible problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Bobrowicz
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, 4366 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Jean-Pierre Thibaut
- LEAD-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR-5022, University of Burgundy, 21000 Dijon, France
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8
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Wu Q, Jalapa K, Han SJ, Tawfiq D, Cui M. A dynamic systems perspective towards executive function development: Susceptibility at both ends for inhibitory control. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:782-790. [PMID: 35232518 PMCID: PMC9437139 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422000037] [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] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
In light of the dynamic systems perspective, the current study expanded existing literature by examining the moderating effect of maternal sensitivity on the quadratic association between infant negative reactivity and future executive function development. Using a longitudinal, multimethod design, we addressed executive function development among preschoolers. This study utilized data from the Family Life Project (N = 1292). Infant negative reactivity at 6 months, maternal sensitivity across first 3 years, and executive functions during preschool age were observational assessed. A path model with moderation analyses revealed a U-shaped quadratic association between infant negative reactivity and preschoolers' inhibitory control, only when maternal sensitivity was high. The results suggest that maternal sensitivity may assist infants with both low and high, but not moderate, levels of negative reactivity towards better executive function development. Findings support the ongoing nonlinear person-environment interplay during early years of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University. Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Karina Jalapa
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University. Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Soo Jin Han
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University. Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Dania Tawfiq
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University. Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Ming Cui
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University. Tallahassee, FL, USA
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9
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Leclercq M, Gimenes G, Maintenant C, Clerc J. Goal choice in preschoolers is influenced by context, cognitive flexibility, and metacognition. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1063566. [PMID: 37006717 PMCID: PMC10052421 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1063566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionGoal choice is one of the first, and most important, steps in self-regulated learning (SRL). It is particularly challenging for young children (before 5–6 years), who tend to rely on available environmental cues, which makes their goals fragile because of the instability and variability of the environment. Therefore, it can be assumed that the conditions under which a task is performed may influence a child’s learning goal choice. Moreover, adapting to constraints involves control capacities provided by executive functions (EF) and metacognition.MethodsThe main purpose of this study was to determine factors that influence the way preschoolers choose a learning goal during the first step of SRL. We tested whether adding constraints to perform a task may influence the choice of the procedure that a child aims to learn to perform this task. We also examined the role of cognitive flexibility and metacognition in goal selection in the face of these changes, and tested the influence of change over time, comparing participants’ performance at two points in the school year. One hundred 4-year-olds were asked to perform a jigsaw puzzle task under two conditions: predictable vs. unpredictable environmental change. Individual levels of cognitive flexibility and metacognition were also measured.ResultsThe results show that only a predictable change, but not an unpredictable one, leaded children to change their learning goals. Furthermore, when participants were faced with an unpredictable change, metacognition and cognitive flexibility significantly predicted learning goal change. Results are discussed regarding the development of SRL, flexibility, and metacognition. Educational suggestions are proposed.Highlights– The choice of a learning goal by a preschooler is influenced by the conditions of task performance and environmental cues. Facing a predictable change is more disruptive to children before the age of 4.5, and more likely to cause them to change their goal.– A shift is observed, from age 4 and during the school year, from a perceptual to a conceptual level of processing.– Cognitive flexibility and metacognition also determine learning goal choice in preschoolers, but only in front of unpredictable changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Leclercq
- Univ. Lille, ULR 4072 – PSITEC – Psychologie: Interactions, Temps, Emotions, Cognition, Lille, France
- *Correspondence: Marion Leclercq, ✉
| | - Guillaume Gimenes
- Univ. Lille, ULR 4072 – PSITEC – Psychologie: Interactions, Temps, Emotions, Cognition, Lille, France
| | - Célia Maintenant
- Laboratory PAVeA, Department of Psychology, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Jérôme Clerc
- Laboratory CNRS LPNC, Department Psychology, University of Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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10
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Lambek R, Sonuga-Barke EJS, Lange AM, Carroll DJ, Daley D, Thomsen PH. Parent Training for ADHD: No Generalization of Effects From Clinical to Neuropsychological Outcomes in a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Atten Disord 2023; 27:98-107. [PMID: 36314486 DOI: 10.1177/10870547221130108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We examined whether neuropsychological function in ADHD can be improved by the New Forest Parenting Programme (NFPP), that combines standard parenting strategies with self-regulatory skills training, or predict ADHD and quality of life (QoL) treatment effects. METHOD Participants were 93 medication-naive preschool children with ADHD (3-7 years) randomized to either NFPP (n = 49) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 44) in a recent randomized trial. Laboratory measures of executive function, reaction time variability, and delay of gratification were collected along with parent ratings of ADHD and QoL at baseline and post treatment. Ratings were collected again at 3-month follow-up. RESULTS NFPP did not improve neuropsychological function (compared to TAU), and baseline neuropsychological function did not predict treatment-related ADHD or QoL effects. CONCLUSION Although NFPP includes a neuropsychological training element and has been shown to improve several clinical outcomes, it did not improve the neuropsychological functions it targets.
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11
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Moyano S, Conejero Á, Fernández M, Serrano F, Rueda MR. Development of visual attention control in early childhood: Associations with temperament and home environment. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1069478. [PMID: 36619065 PMCID: PMC9811174 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1069478] [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: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous visual attention orienting is early available from infancy. It shows a steady development during the preschool period towards monitoring and managing executive attention to optimize the interplay between environmental contingencies and internal goals. The current study aims at understanding this transition from basic forms of endogenous control of visual orienting towards the engagement of executive attention, as well as their association with individual differences in temperament and home environment. A total of 150 children between 2 and 4 years of age were evaluated in a Visual Sequence Learning task, measuring visual anticipations in easy (context-free) and complex (context-dependent) stimuli transitions. Results showed age to be a predictor of a reduction in exogenous attention, as well as increased abilities to attempt to anticipate and to correctly anticipate in complex transitions. Home chaos predicted more complex correct anticipations, suggesting that the exposure to more unpredictable environments could benefit learning in context-dependent settings. Finally, temperamental surgency was found to be positively related to sustained attention in the task. Results are informative of age differences in visual attention control during toddlerhood and early childhood, and their association with temperament and home environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Moyano
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain,Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain,*Correspondence: Sebastián Moyano,
| | - Ángela Conejero
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - María Fernández
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisca Serrano
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain,Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - M. Rosario Rueda
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain,Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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12
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Vernucci S, García-Coni A, Zamora EV, Gelpi-Trudo R, Andrés ML, Canet-Juric L. Age-related Changes in Task Switching Costs in Middle Childhood. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2156514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Vernucci
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Ana García-Coni
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Eliana Vanesa Zamora
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Rosario Gelpi-Trudo
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - María Laura Andrés
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Lorena Canet-Juric
- Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina
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13
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Cissne MN, Bellesheim KR, Christ SE. Inhibitory Control in Male and Female Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dev Neuropsychol 2022; 47:369-383. [PMID: 36537866 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2022.2154770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The present study examined potential sex- and age-related differences in inhibitory control in adolescents with and without ASD. A computerized flanker visual filtering task and a go/no-go task were used to assess the ability to resist interference from visual distractors (RIVD) and prepotent response inhibition, respectively. Overall, the ASD and non-ASD groups performed comparably on both tasks and no sex-related differences or interactions (group-by-sex) were apparent. Consistent with past research, however, we did observe a significant age-related improvement in RIVD performance among the ASD group (but not the non-ASD group).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie N Cissne
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Katherine R Bellesheim
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shawn E Christ
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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14
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Bruce M, Bell MA. Vocabulary and Executive Functioning: A Scoping Review of the Unidirectional and Bidirectional Associations across Early Childhood. Hum Dev 2022; 66:167-187. [PMID: 36164662 PMCID: PMC9501766 DOI: 10.1159/000524964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Early childhood marks a time where word learning is accompanied by rapid growth in the cognitive processes that underlie self-modulated and goal-directed behavior (i.e., executive functions). Although there is empirical evidence to support the association between executive functioning and vocabulary in childhood, inconsistent findings have been reported regarding the extent to which early executive functioning abilities predict later vocabulary outcomes and vice versa. To clarify the nature of the longitudinal relation between these two processes and to examine what, if any, claims can be made about their interdependence, a critical review of the literature was conducted. Also addressed are the conceptual and/or methodological differences that exist across studies conducted on this topic that may be contributing to some of the discrepancies reported in the longitudinal literature. Finally, this review provides practical and empirically informed future directions to serve as a resource for early childhood researchers advancing this area of study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Bruce
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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15
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Podjarny G, Kamawar D, Andrews K. Two birds in the hand: Concurrent and switching cognitive flexibility in preschoolers. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 220:105418. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Abdul Rahman A, Tan HK, Loo ST, Abdul Malik AB, Tan KH, Gluckman PD, Chong YS, Meaney MJ, Qiu A, Rifkin-Graboi A. Cognitive flexibility in preschoolers: A role for the late frontal negativity (LFN). COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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17
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Exploring the development of attentional set shifting in young children with a novel Intradimensional/Extradimensional shift task. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 221:105428. [PMID: 35489135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105428] [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: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Attentional set shifting is a core part of cognition, allowing quick and flexible adaption to new demands. The study of its development during early childhood has been hampered by a shortage of measures not requiring language. This article argues for a revival of the Intradimensional/Extradimensional (ID/ED) shift task by presenting a new nonverbal version of the task (Shifting Tray task). Children (N = 95 3- to 5-year-olds; 49 girls; predominantly European White) were presented with pairs of trays, each filled with a substrate and an upside-down cup on top, and were asked to find stickers. In the pre-switch phase, children learned (through trial and error) which dimension (substrate or cup) was predictive of the rewards. In the post-switch phase, all stimuli were exchanged. For children in the intradimensional shift condition, the dimension predictive of the sticker was the same as the one predictive in the pre-switch phase. For children in the extradimensional shift condition, the previously irrelevant dimension was now relevant. Results showed that most 3-year-olds were able to switch, and older children did not outperform younger children. The easy and flexible nature of the task allows researchers to investigate the impact of labels and instructions and to use it in cross-cultural and comparative research.
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18
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Differential Relations of Parental Behavior to Children's Early Executive Function as a Function of Child Genotype: A Systematic Review. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2022; 25:435-470. [PMID: 35195834 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-022-00387-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Child genotype is an important biologically based indicator of sensitivity to the effects of parental behavior on children's executive function (EF) in early childhood, birth to age 5. While evidence for gene × parental behavior interactions on children's early EF is growing, researchers have called the quality of evidence provided by gene × environment interaction studies into question. For this reason, this review comprehensively examined the literature and evaluated the evidence for gene × parental behavior interactions on children's early EF abilities. Psychology and psychiatry databases were searched for published peer-reviewed studies. A total of 18 studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-nine of 89 (33%) examined interactions were significant. However, a p-curve analysis did not find the significant interactions to be of evidential value. A high rate of false positives, due to the continued use of candidate gene and haplotype measures of child genotype and small sample sizes, likely contributed to the high rate of significant interactions and low evidential value. The use of contemporary molecular genetic measures and larger sample sizes are necessary to advance our understanding of child genotype as a moderator of parental effects on children's EF during early childhood and the biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying children's EF development during this critical period. Without these changes, future research is likely to be stymied by the same limitations as current research.
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19
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Blankenship TL, Kibbe MM. Two-year-olds use past memories to accomplish novel goals. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 214:105286. [PMID: 34500114 PMCID: PMC8608730 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Memory-guided planning involves retrieving relevant memories and applying that information in service of a goal. Previous studies have shown substantial development in this ability from 3 to 4 years of age. We investigated the emergence of memory-guided planning by asking whether 2-year-olds could draw on episodic memories of past experiences to generate and execute plans. In Experiments 1 and 2 (N = 32, ds > .7), 2-year-olds successfully did so, and this ability developed significantly across the third year of life. Furthermore, in Experiment 3 (N = 19, d = 0.63), 2-year-olds successfully applied episodic memories to guide plans in a novel problem context, suggesting flexibility in this ability. Together, these results suggest that some form of memory-guided planning emerges during the third year of life and may form the cognitive basis for episodic prospection later in development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa M Kibbe
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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20
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Shinya Y, Kawai M, Niwa F, Kanakogi Y, Imafuku M, Myowa M. Cognitive flexibility in 12-month-old preterm and term infants is associated with neurobehavioural development in 18-month-olds. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3. [PMID: 35013426 PMCID: PMC8748813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04194-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that preterm children are at an increased risk of poor executive functioning, which underlies behavioural and attention problems. Previous studies have suggested that early cognitive flexibility is a possible predictor of later executive function; however, how it develops in infancy and relates to the later neurobehavioural outcomes is still unclear in the preterm population. Here, we conducted a longitudinal study to investigate oculomotor response shifting in 27 preterm and 25 term infants at 12 months and its relationship with general cognitive development and effortful control, which is a temperamental aspect closely associated with executive function, at 18 months. We found that moderate to late preterm and term infants significantly inhibited previously rewarded look responses, while very preterm infants did not show significant inhibition of perseverative looking at 12 months. Moreover, lower inhibition of perseverative looking was significantly associated with lower general cognitive development and attentional shifting at 18 months. These findings suggest that the early atypical patterns of oculomotor response shifting may be a behavioural marker for predicting a higher risk of negative neurobehavioural outcomes, including attention-related problems in preterm children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Shinya
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Kawai
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Fusako Niwa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | | | - Masako Myowa
- Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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21
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Cissne MN, Kester LE, Gunn AJM, Bodner KE, Miles JH, Christ SE. Brief Report: A Preliminary Study of the Relationship between Repetitive Behaviors and Concurrent Executive Function Demands in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:1896-1902. [PMID: 34009548 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05071-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The present study evaluated the hypothesis that the strength of the relationship between executive function (EF) and repetitive behaviors and restricted interests (RBRI) symptomatology is moderated by the degree to which concurrent demands are placed on multiple aspects of EF. An eye movement task was used to evaluate inhibition and task switching ability (both together and in isolation) in a sample of 22 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) was used to assess the severity of RBRI symptoms. Results provide preliminary support for the aforementioned hypothesis. RBS-R scores were significantly correlated with task performance when simultaneous demands were placed on switching and inhibition; however, no such relationship was found for inhibition-only or switching-only task conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie N Cissne
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Lindsay E Kester
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Amanda J Moffitt Gunn
- Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Special Education, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Kimberly E Bodner
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- MetroHealth System, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Judith H Miles
- Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Child Health, Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Shawn E Christ
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA.
- Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
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22
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A working memory span task for toddlers. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 63:101550. [PMID: 33677224 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study presents a new working memory measure for toddlers, inspired by the Spin-the-Pots (Hughes & Ensor, 2005), which we modified structuring it as a memory span task. As in the original task, we required toddlers to retrieve objects hidden in little boxes; however, in our Memory Span Spin-the-Pots (MSSP) we used smaller numbers of targets, and we systematically manipulated memory load, covering or not the display, and rotating it or not. Two experiments involved participants between 18 months and three years. In Experiment 1 we examined the effects of covering and rotation on toddlers' memory. Either covering or rotating the stimuli hindered their performance, and combining both transformations yielded an under-additive interaction. Moreover, the effect of covering decreased in the second half of the procedure. In Experiment 2 we validated the MSSP as a working memory measure by comparing it with the Imitation Sorting Task (IST; Alp, 1994). We found that the MSSP correlated with the IST, also with age partialled out, although the IST was easier. In both experiments, the scores increased with age. Overall, this research sheds light on some variables that affect toddlers' performance on the MSSP, and shows that it can be used as a valid working memory measure for toddlers. The results are discussed considering the attentional processes presumably involved.
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23
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Lu H, Gong Y, Huang P, Zhang Y, Guo Z, Zhu X, You X. Effect of Repeated Anodal HD-tDCS on Executive Functions: Evidence From a Pilot and Single-Blinded fNIRS Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:583730. [PMID: 33536886 PMCID: PMC7847848 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.583730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive functions are of vital importance in the process of active cognition, which is thought to be associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). As a valid brain stimulation technology, high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has been used to optimize cognitive function in healthy adults. Substantial evidence indicates that short-term or single anodal tDCS sessions over the left DLPFC will enhance the performance of executive functions. However, the changes in performance and cortical activation of executive functions after modulation by repeated anodal HD-tDCS is as yet unexplored. This study aims to examine changes in three core components of executive functions (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) produced by nine HD-tDCS sessions (1.5 mA, over left DLPFC, 20 min per session), and to use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to bilaterally record DLPFC neural activity. A total of 43 participants were divided randomly into two study groups (anodal group vs. sham group) to complete nine interventions. Our results demonstrate that the enhancement of cognitive flexibility in the anodal group was significantly better than that in the sham group. Additionally, a Stroop effect-related decrease in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentration in the DLPFC was observed in the anodal group but not the sham group. In conclusion, our study found that repeated anodal HD-tDCS sessions can significantly promote cognitive flexibility, one of the core components of executive function, and that alterations in DLPFC activation can enhance our understanding of the neuroplastic modifications modulated by HD-tDCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Lu
- Faculty of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yue Gong
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Faculty of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yajuan Zhang
- Faculty of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zhihua Guo
- Faculty of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xia Zhu
- Faculty of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xuqun You
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
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24
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Yu X, Zhang M, Chen Y, Deng Z, Chen Y, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Chen X. The role of inhibitory control in the development of analogical reasoning: From general to specific. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 38:594-615. [PMID: 32790001 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the role of inhibitory control in the development of analogical reasoning using inter-task priming paradigms. In Experiment 1, 25 seven-year-olds, 27 nine-year-olds, and 27 adults completed Stroop tasks, which activated general inhibitory control ability, before analogical reasoning tasks. Children and adults performed faster on analogical reasoning tasks when they were primed by Stroop tasks. This priming effect was found to be stronger in children than in adults. In Experiment 2, 25 seven-year-olds, 28 nine-year-olds, and 28 adults completed relative number matching tasks, a more task-relevant inhibitory control task, before analogical reasoning tasks. The children and adults performed faster on analogical reasoning tasks when primed by relative number matching tasks. The priming effect was greater in seven-year-olds than in nine-year-olds and was greater in nine-year-olds than in adults. Thus, inhibitory control, whether assessed with general or specific tasks, played a priming role in analogical reasoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yu
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Yinghe Chen
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijun Deng
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqun Chen
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Han Zhang
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - YuXin Zhang
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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25
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Zimmermann L, Frank HE, Subiaul F, Barr R. Applying computational modeling to assess age-, sex-, and strategy-related differences in Spin the Pots, a working memory task for 2- to 4-year-olds. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:42-53. [PMID: 32729131 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) develops rapidly during early childhood. In the present study, visual WM (VSM) was measured using the well-established Spin the Pots task (Hughes & Ensor, 2005), a complex non-verbal eight-location object occlusion task. A self-ordered hiding procedure was adopted to allow for an examination of children's strategy use during a VWM task. Participants (N = 640) between the ages of 2 and 4 years were tested under semi-naturalistic conditions, in the home or in a museum. Computational modeling was used to estimate an expected value for the total trials to complete Spin the Pots via a random search and child performance was compared to expected values. Based on this approach, we determined that children who found six stickers retrieved them in significantly fewer trials than the expected value, excluding chance performance and implicating VWM. Results also showed age-related and sex-related changes in VWM. Between 2 and 4 years of age, 4-year-olds performed significantly better than younger children and girls out-performed the boys. Spontaneous use of a color matching hiding strategy was associated with a higher success rate on the task. Implications of these findings for early development of VWM are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Zimmermann
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Hannah E Frank
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Francys Subiaul
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,Institute for Neuroscience and Mind-Brain Institute, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Rachel Barr
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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26
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Charisi V, Gomez E, Mier G, Merino L, Gomez R. Child-Robot Collaborative Problem-Solving and the Importance of Child's Voluntary Interaction: A Developmental Perspective. Front Robot AI 2020; 7:15. [PMID: 33501184 PMCID: PMC7806108 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2020.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and development of cognitive strategies for the transition from exploratory actions towards intentional problem-solving in children is a key question for the understanding of the development of human cognition. Researchers in developmental psychology have studied cognitive strategies and have highlighted the catalytic role of the social environment. However, it is not yet adequately understood how this capacity emerges and develops in biological systems when they perform a problem-solving task in collaboration with a robotic social agent. This paper presents an empirical study in a human-robot interaction (HRI) setting which investigates children's problem-solving from a developmental perspective. In order to theoretically conceptualize children's developmental process of problem-solving in HRI context, we use principles based on the intuitive theory and we take into consideration existing research on executive functions with a focus on inhibitory control. We considered the paradigm of the Tower of Hanoi and we conducted an HRI behavioral experiment to evaluate task performance. We designed two types of robot interventions, "voluntary" and "turn-taking"-manipulating exclusively the timing of the intervention. Our results indicate that the children who participated in the voluntary interaction setting showed a better performance in the problem solving activity during the evaluation session despite their large variability in the frequency of self-initiated interactions with the robot. Additionally, we present a detailed description of the problem-solving trajectory for a representative single case-study, which reveals specific developmental patterns in the context of the specific task. Implications and future work are discussed regarding the development of intelligent robotic systems that allow child-initiated interaction as well as targeted and not constant robot interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky Charisi
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Seville, Spain
| | - Emilia Gomez
- Centre for Advanced Studies, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Seville, Spain
- Music Technology Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Mier
- Service Robotics Lab, School of Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Luis Merino
- Service Robotics Lab, School of Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Randy Gomez
- Honda Research Institute Japan Co., Ltd., Saitama, Japan
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27
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Arán Filippetti V, Krumm G. A hierarchical model of cognitive flexibility in children: Extending the relationship between flexibility, creativity and academic achievement. Child Neuropsychol 2020; 26:770-800. [DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2019.1711034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Arán Filippetti
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental (CIIPME), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Humanidades, Educación y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Adventista del Plata, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Krumm
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental (CIIPME), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Humanidades, Educación y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Adventista del Plata, Entre Ríos, Argentina
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28
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Crespo K, Gross M, Kaushanskaya M. The effects of dual language exposure on executive function in Spanish-English bilingual children with different language abilities. J Exp Child Psychol 2019; 188:104663. [PMID: 31446311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.104663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined the effects of dual language exposure on executive function in 5- to 11-year-old Spanish-English bilingual children with different language skills. Dual language exposure was measured via parent report and was operationalized as the proportion of time spent in an environment where both English and Spanish were present. Executive function was measured via the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task. Shifting costs, switching costs, and mixing costs were derived to index executive function performance. A significant interaction between extent of dual language exposure and language skills was observed such that children showed smaller shifting and mixing costs with increased dual language input as their language skills increased. The results suggest a graded effect of dual language exposure on executive function, where a robust language system may be required for dual language exposure to influence executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Crespo
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Megan Gross
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Margarita Kaushanskaya
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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29
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Chu FW, vanMarle K, Hoard MK, Nugent L, Scofield JE, Geary DC. Preschool deficits in cardinal knowledge and executive function contribute to longer-term mathematical learning disability. J Exp Child Psychol 2019; 188:104668. [PMID: 31430570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.104668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In a preschool through first grade longitudinal study, we identified groups of children with persistently low mathematics achievement (n = 14) and children with low achievement in preschool but average achievement in first grade (n = 23). The preschool quantitative developments of these respective groups of children with mathematical learning disability (MLD) and recovered children and a group of typically achieving peers (n = 35) were contrasted, as were their intelligence, executive function, and parental education levels. The core characteristics of the children with MLD were poor executive function and delayed understanding of the cardinal value of number words throughout preschool. These compounded into even more substantive deficits in number and arithmetic at the beginning of first grade. The recovered group had poor executive function and cardinal knowledge during the first year of preschool but showed significant gains during the second year. Despite these gains and average mathematics achievement, the recovered children had subtle deficits with accessing magnitudes associated with numerals and addition combinations (e.g., 5 + 6 = ?) in first grade. The study provides unique insight into domain-general and quantitative deficits in preschool that increase risk for long-term mathematical difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia W Chu
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Kristy vanMarle
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Mary K Hoard
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Lara Nugent
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - John E Scofield
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - David C Geary
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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30
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Ku S, Feng X, Hooper EG, Wu Q, Gerhardt M. Interactions between familial risk profiles and preschoolers' emotionality in predicting executive function. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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31
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Smith H, Carter AS, Blaser E, Kaldy Z. Successful attentional set-shifting in 2-year-olds with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213903. [PMID: 30870516 PMCID: PMC6417667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of executive function is necessary for flexible and voluntary control of behavior. Deficits in executive function are purported to be a primary cause of behavioral inflexibility—a core clinical symptom—in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Attentional set-shifting has traditionally been measured with the Dimensional Change Card Sort, however, this task requires following verbal instructions. Here, we used a novel visual search task that does not require verbal instructions in conjunction with eye-tracking to test attentional set-shifting in 2-year-old toddlers diagnosed with ASD (N = 29) and chronological age-matched typically developing controls (N = 30). On each trial, a relevant and an irrelevant target were embedded in a set of feature-conjunction distractors, and toddlers were tasked with searching for the relevant target. Critically, after a set of trials the targets switched roles (i.e., the previously relevant target became irrelevant, and the previously relevant target became irrelevant). We measured visual search performance prior to and following a target switch. We found that both groups of toddlers could readily switch targets, and found strikingly similar performance between typically developing toddlers and toddlers with ASD. Our results challenge the centrality of deficits in attentional set-shifting to early behavioral inflexibility in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alice S. Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Erik Blaser
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Zsuzsa Kaldy
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Brito NH, Fifer WP, Amso D, Barr R, Bell MA, Calkins S, Flynn A, Montgomery-Downs HE, Oakes LM, Richards JE, Samuelson LM, Colombo J. Beyond the Bayley: Neurocognitive Assessments of Development During Infancy and Toddlerhood. Dev Neuropsychol 2019; 44:220-247. [PMID: 30616391 PMCID: PMC6399032 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1564310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The use of global, standardized instruments is conventional among clinicians and researchers interested in assessing neurocognitive development. Exclusively relying on these tests for evaluating effects may underestimate or miss specific effects on early cognition. The goal of this review is to identify alternative measures for possible inclusion in future clinical trials and interventions evaluating early neurocognitive development. The domains included for consideration are attention, memory, executive function, language, and socioemotional development. Although domain-based tests are limited, as psychometric properties have not yet been well-established, this review includes tasks and paradigms that have been reliably used across various developmental psychology laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie H Brito
- a Department of Applied Psychology , New York University , New York , NY , USA
| | - William P Fifer
- b Division of Developmental Neuroscience , New York State Psychiatric Institute , New York , NY , USA
| | - Dima Amso
- c Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences , Brown University , Providence , RI , USA
| | - Rachel Barr
- d Department of Psychology , Georgetown University , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Martha Ann Bell
- e Department of Psychology , Virginia Tech , Blacksburg , VA , USA
| | - Susan Calkins
- f Department of Human Development and Family Studies , University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro , NC , USA
| | - Albert Flynn
- g School of Food and Nutritional Sciences , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland
| | | | - Lisa M Oakes
- i Department of Psychology , University of California , Davis , CA , USA
| | - John E Richards
- j Department of Psychology , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA
| | | | - John Colombo
- l Department of Psychology , University of Kansas , Lawrence , KS , USA
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Zeytinoglu S, Calkins SD, Leerkes EM. Maternal emotional support but not cognitive support during problem-solving predicts increases in cognitive flexibility in early childhood. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2019; 43:12-23. [PMID: 31036983 PMCID: PMC6484867 DOI: 10.1177/0165025418757706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is a sophisticated form of executive functions that predicts a range of adaptive outcomes; however, little is known about which caregiving behaviors predict the rapid improvements in children’s cognitive flexibility during early childhood. This study examined whether ordinary variations in mothers’ provision of emotional and cognitive support during problem-solving predict children’s cognitive flexibility and tested whether children’s cognitive flexibility predicts caregiving behaviors across time. Two hundred and seventy-eight children and their caregivers (96% mothers) participated in laboratory visits when children were in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. At each visit, cognitive flexibility was measured via a computerized version of the Dimensional Change Card Sort task and mothers’ behaviors were observed during a semi-structured problem-solving board game task. Results from autoregressive cross-lagged structural regression analyses indicated that mothers’ emotional support predicted greater child cognitive flexibility from preschool to kindergarten, and from kindergarten to first grade, after accounting for the stability in these constructs over time and controlling for the influence of maternal education, and child age and minority status. Mothers’ cognitive support did not predict child cognitive flexibility over time. Child cognitive flexibility did not lead to changes in caregiving behaviors over time. Findings suggest that mothers’ provision of emotional support during problem-solving may be an important proximal mechanism that contributes to children’s cognitive flexibility across early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selin Zeytinoglu
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
27402
| | - Susan D. Calkins
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
27402
| | - Esther M. Leerkes
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
27402
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Bowmer A, Mason K, Knight J, Welch G. Investigating the Impact of a Musical Intervention on Preschool Children's Executive Function. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2389. [PMID: 30618906 PMCID: PMC6307457 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of music interventions on the cognitive skills of young children has become the focus of a growing number of research studies in recent years. This study investigated the effect of weekly musicianship training on the executive function abilities of 3-to-4-year-old children at a London, United Kingdom preschool, using a two-phase experimental design. In Phase 1, 14 children (Group A) took part in eight weekly musicianship classes, provided by a specialist music teacher, while 25 children (Groups B and C combined) engaged in nursery free play. Results of this Phase showed Group A to have improved on two measures relating to planning and inhibition skills. During Phase 2, Group A continued with music classes, while Group B began music classes for the first time and Group C took part in an art intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA found no significant difference in performance improvement between the three participant groups during phase 2; however, the performance difference between groups was nearing significance for the peg tapping task (p = 0.06). The findings from this study contribute to current debates about the potential cognitive benefit of musical interventions, including important issues regarding intervention duration, experimental design, target age groups, executive function testing, and task novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Bowmer
- UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn Mason
- UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Graham Welch
- UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Lindsay AR, Dyrek AJ, Blitstein JL, Byington T, Sigman-Grant M. Interrater Reliability of a Field-Based Preschool Movement Skills Assessment. JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 50:1040-1045. [PMID: 30243921 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the interrater reliability of the Preschool Movement Assessment (PMA), a unique field-based assessment tool for use by early childhood professionals in preschool settings. METHODS A total of 123 preschool children, aged 3-5years, were assessed by 6 trained raters using the PMA tool in an intervention. Interrater agreement on individual items of the PMA was determined using the kappa (κ) and intraclass correlation coefficient statistics. RESULTS Weighted κ values were 0.82-0.96, indicating excellent agreement for all constructs of the PMA. The 95% confidence intervals indicated that all weighted κ's were statistically significant. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the PMA total score was 0.97. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS After additional developmental research, the tool might serve to establish and support a minimum level of functional movements that should be attained before a child enters grade school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne R Lindsay
- University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Las Vegas, NV.
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Mueller JL, Friederici AD, Männel C. Developmental changes in automatic rule-learning mechanisms across early childhood. Dev Sci 2018; 22:e12700. [PMID: 29949219 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Infants' ability to learn complex linguistic regularities from early on has been revealed by electrophysiological studies indicating that 3-month-olds, but not adults, can automatically detect non-adjacent dependencies between syllables. While different ERP responses in adults and infants suggest that both linguistic rule learning and its link to basic auditory processing undergo developmental changes, systematic investigations of the developmental trajectories are scarce. In the present study, we assessed 2- and 4-year-olds' ERP indicators of pitch discrimination and linguistic rule learning in a syllable-based oddball design. To test for the relation between auditory discrimination and rule learning, ERP responses to pitch changes were used as predictor for potential linguistic rule-learning effects. Results revealed that 2-year-olds, but not 4-year-olds, showed ERP markers of rule learning. Although, 2-year-olds' rule learning was not dependent on differences in pitch perception, 4-year-old children demonstrated a dependency, such that those children who showed more pronounced responses to pitch changes still showed an effect of rule learning. These results narrow down the developmental decline of the ability for automatic linguistic rule learning to the age between 2 and 4 years, and, moreover, point towards a strong modification of this change by auditory processes. At an age when the ability of automatic linguistic rule learning phases out, rule learning can still be observed in children with enhanced auditory responses. The observed interrelations are plausible causes for age-of-acquisition effects and inter-individual differences in language learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutta L Mueller
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.,Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Angela D Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Männel
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig and Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, Medical Faculty of the University of Leipzig, Germany
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Simms NK, Frausel RR, Richland LE. Working memory predicts children's analogical reasoning. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 166:160-177. [PMID: 28923594 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Analogical reasoning is the cognitive skill of drawing relationships between representations, often between prior knowledge and new representations, that allows for bootstrapping cognitive and language development. Analogical reasoning proficiency develops substantially during childhood, although the mechanisms underlying this development have been debated, with developing cognitive resources as one proposed mechanism. We explored the role of executive function (EF) in supporting children's analogical reasoning development, with the goal of determining whether predicted aspects of EF were related to analogical development at the level of individual differences. We assessed 5- to 11-year-old children's working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility using measures from the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition battery. Individual differences in children's working memory best predicted performance on an analogical mapping task, even when controlling for age, suggesting a fundamental interrelationship between analogical reasoning and working memory development. These findings underscore the need to consider cognitive capacities in comprehensive theories of children's reasoning development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina K Simms
- Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Rebecca R Frausel
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Lindsey E Richland
- Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Podjarny G, Kamawar D, Andrews K. The Multidimensional Card Selection Task: A new way to measure concurrent cognitive flexibility in preschoolers. J Exp Child Psychol 2017; 159:199-218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Ionescu T. The Variability-Stability-Flexibility Pattern: A Possible Key to Understanding the Flexibility of the Human Mind. REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1037/gpr0000110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Flexibility is a defining characteristic of our species. The current literature presents cognitive flexibility as having several meanings; this lack of a single definition may hinder work on understanding the concept. In this article, I begin with describing the variability–stability–flexibility pattern in the development of various abilities and then argue that as part of this chain, flexibility can be considered a property of the cognitive system and not in itself an ability. The implications of and challenges to this view are discussed. This view can foster progress in the understanding of cognitive flexibility: It can serve as a unifying framework in which to study the dynamic flow of stability and flexibility in the functioning of the cognitive system.
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Boudreau AM, Dempsey EE, Smith IM, Garon N. A novel working memory task for preschoolers: sensitivity to age differences from 3-5 years. Child Neuropsychol 2017; 24:799-822. [PMID: 28562173 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2017.1333592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) plays an important role in children's learning and is linked to later academic and occupational success. Understanding the early development of WM can provide critical clues regarding the underlying structure of executive functions and how they change over the life span. The main objectives of the present study were to (1) investigate age differences in the development of three components of WM (retrieval, substitution, transformation) on a novel preschool WM measure and (2) explore whether findings are consistent with the hierarchical model of WM development by examining perseverative and non-perseverative WM errors. Perseverative errors were hypothesized to be more strongly associated with problems substituting and transforming a representation held in mind, whereas non-perseverative errors were hypothesized to be associated with problems maintaining a representation in mind. Participants were 64 children ranging in age from 3.0 to 5.6 years. The results provide evidence for the sensitivity of the WM task to age differences from 3 to 5 years and support for the hierarchical model of WM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainsley M Boudreau
- a Department of Psychology and Neuroscience , Dalhousie University , Halifax , NS , Canada
| | - Erin E Dempsey
- a Department of Psychology and Neuroscience , Dalhousie University , Halifax , NS , Canada
| | - Isabel M Smith
- a Department of Psychology and Neuroscience , Dalhousie University , Halifax , NS , Canada.,b Department of Pediatrics , Dalhousie University , Halifax , NS , Canada.,c IWK Health Centre , Halifax , NS , Canada
| | - Nancy Garon
- d Department of Psychology , Mount Allison University , Sackville , NB , Canada
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Blakey E, Carroll DJ. Not All Distractions Are the Same: Investigating Why Preschoolers Make Distraction Errors When Switching. Child Dev 2017; 89:609-619. [DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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42
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Executive function in the first three years of life: Precursors, predictors and patterns. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2016.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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43
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Carroll DJ, Blakey E, FitzGibbon L. Cognitive Flexibility in Young Children: Beyond Perseveration. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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44
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Roses Are Red, Socks Are Blue: Switching Dimensions Disrupts Young Children's Language Comprehension. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158459. [PMID: 27355690 PMCID: PMC4927186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Language is used to identify objects in many different ways. An apple can be identified using its name, color, and other attributes. Skilled language comprehension requires listeners to flexibly shift between different dimensions. We asked whether this shifting would be difficult for 3-year-olds, who have relatively immature executive function skills and struggle to switch between dimensions in card sorting tasks. In the current experiment, children first heard a series of sentences identifying objects using a single dimension (either names or colors). In the second half of the experiment, the labeling dimension was switched. Children were significantly less accurate in fixating the correct object following the dimensional switch. This disruption, however, was temporary; recognition accuracy recovered with increased exposure to the new labeling dimension. These findings provide the first evidence that children’s difficulty in shifting between dimensions impacts their ability to comprehend speech. This limitation may affect children’s ability to form rich, multi-dimensional representations when learning new words.
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Blakey E, Carroll DJ. A Short Executive Function Training Program Improves Preschoolers' Working Memory. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1827. [PMID: 26635710 PMCID: PMC4656848 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive training has been shown to improve executive functions (EFs) in middle childhood and adulthood. However, fewer studies have targeted the preschool years-a time when EFs undergo rapid development. The present study tested the effects of a short four session EF training program in 54 four-year-olds. The training group significantly improved their working memory from pre-training relative to an active control group. Notably, this effect extended to a task sharing few surface features with the trained tasks, and continued to be apparent 3 months later. In addition, the benefits of training extended to a measure of mathematical reasoning 3 months later, indicating that training EFs during the preschool years has the potential to convey benefits that are both long-lasting and wide-ranging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Blakey
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield , Sheffield, UK
| | - Daniel J Carroll
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield , Sheffield, UK
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