Research Findings: Prior research has demonstrated the importance of young children's executive functioning (EF) skills for their success in schooling and beyond. However, the field lacks an understanding of how children's EF skills manifest in context. In the present study, we relate children's classroom off-task behavior to their EF skills.…

Executive functions (EF) are crucial to regulating learning and are predictors of emerging mathematics. However, interventions that leverage EF to improve mathematics remain poorly understood. 193 four-year-olds (mean age = 3 years; 11 months pre-intervention; 111 female, 69% White) were assessed 5 months apart, with 103 children randomised to an…

Executive function is an area of challenge for both children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parent ratings of everyday executive function relate to a range of outcomes, including social functioning in ASD. Comparisons between FASD and ASD have revealed both overlapping and distinct…

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the "Parent-child Brain Camp," a 4-week video-based executive functions (EFs) training program for children ages 5-6, through a randomized controlled trial with a pre- and post-test design with 173 Hong Kong children (intervention "ni" = 79, 48.7% girls, M[subscript age] = 69.16 months;…

This exploratory study examines the relationship between executive functioning (EF) skills and the development of first (L1) and second language (L2) skills of preschool students. The participants of this study are enrolled in a French immersion program offered at an inclusion school combining students with disabilities (special needs) and those…

Background: Externalizing problem behaviors, such as childhood aggression, have a significant impact on adolescent delinquency and even adult delinquency and violence. Mother's attitudes and behaviors can impact the self-control and regulation of preschoolers, which in turn reflect in preschoolers' externalizing problems. Objective: This…

Background: Early childhood is a critical period of language development. Yet less is known about how language growth relates to the development of phoneme awareness and cognitive flexibility during this period. Aims: To examine the longitudinal associations between growth in phonological awareness and cognitive flexibility from 4 to 5 years in…

Children are increasingly using educational apps, but little research has been conducted to determine their effectiveness. The current study compared the effect of an interactive touchscreen app to the effect of a noninteractive video about the app on young children's Chinese characters learning and executive functions (EFs). In a mixed…

An overarching framework in the field of developmental psychology highlights the close linkage of cognition with emotion; however, the extent to which this framework supports the relationship between executive functions and emotion understanding in young children remains unclear. Hence, we employ a longitudinal tracking study to investigate the…

The current study endeavors to assess the impact of the Preschool Executive Functions Intervention Program (PEFIP) on children's executive functions. A quasi-experimental design was employed, encompassing both pre-test and post-test assessments within a control group, complemented by follow-up evaluations over a 5-week period. The sample comprises…

Compliance is an important skill of social competence for young children as it reflects children's ability to understand others' expectations and to display cooperative behaviors. Existing research has shown that parental responsiveness and child executive functioning separately make contributions to child compliance, but less is known about the…

This longitudinal study explores the associations between children's executive functions at the beginning of preschool and their learning behaviors, namely competence motivation and attentional persistence, at the end of preschool. Participants were 218 Portuguese children (M[subscript age]= 40.4 months, SD= 4.2; 52% boys) and their preschool…

This study examines associations between enrollment in high-quality PreK and growth in children's (N = 422; M[subscript age] = 5.63 years; 47% female; 15% Asian, 19% Black, 30% White, 31% Hispanic; 5% other or mixed race) academic, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills across kindergarten (2017-2018) and first grade (2018-2019).…

The purpose of this study was to determine what types of play ensure stable progress in executive functions in preschoolers. Experimental design included six study groups according to the type of play: role play (Free Play group, Adult-Directed Play group, Child-Directed Play group), play with rules, digital play, and control group. All groups…

Research suggests that improving executive function (EF) skills using mindfulness-based interventions is promising, though few studies investigate mindfulness-based interventions for young children. The current study evaluated preliminary data examining EF over the course of a 12-week mindfulness-based curriculum implemented within preschool…