Attention and executive functions (EFs) play a critical role in academic skill development, including literacy and numeracy. Deficits in attention and EFs often accompany learning disorders, such as dyslexia and dyscalculia. Despite their well-established link, we lack a nuanced understanding of the specific neurobiological mechanisms that…

Impairments in executive function (EF) among individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their association with negative academic, adaptive, and social functioning outcomes have been widely reported over the past 20 years. However, there remains a lack of understanding of EF in autism during the preschool period, an age at which several crucial…

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).…

This study examined the direct and indirect relationships between playfulness (social and cognitive spontaneity), executive functions, convergent thinking, divergent thinking, and academic skills in Hong Kong Chinese kindergarten children. Participants were 181 second-year (4 to 5 years) kindergarten children (45.9% boys) and their parents.…

Over two-thirds of youth participate in a structured sport, making it a vital context in which transactional relations with cognitive development can occur. Yet, little is known about how these constructs inform one another across childhood. Most previous studies have focused on health benefits of sport participation, or on demographic and family…

Prior studies have shown the efficacy of computer-based cognitive training programs in improving cognitive and academic functions in children diagnosed with a specific learning disorder (SLD). However, these studies often focused on center-based approaches without considering the involvement of parents or the inclusion of home-based tasks in…

The current study investigated the effects of metacognitive and executive function (EF) training on childhood EF (inhibition, working memory [WM], cognitive flexibility, and proactive/reactive control) and academic skills (reading, reasoning, and math) among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Children (N = 134, M[subscript age] = 8.70 years)…

During imaginative play, children may learn foundational skills important for academic success. Indeed, imaginative children, high in fantasy orientation (FO), may have advantages in skills that support positive classroom and social behavior. Yet findings are mixed regarding the classroom behavior of children high in fantasy orientation. The…

The current study provides new evidence on the sustained benefits of preschool attendance on a broader range of skills--both academic and executive functioning (EF)--than many prior studies have examined. Using propensity score methods, we predicted children's (N = 920, M age at 1st = 6.5 years) literacy, language, math, and EF skills in…

Youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability frequently experience academic problems, in part due to executive functioning (EF) deficits. There are currently no evidence-based interventions targeting academic EF skills (e.g., organization, prioritization, etc.) for middle school youth with ASD. The need is critical…

Musical instrument training has been linked to improved academic and cognitive abilities in children, but it remains unclear why this occurs. Moreover, access to instrument training is not always feasible, thereby leaving less fortunate children without opportunity to benefit from such training. Although music-based video games may be more…

Because deficits in executive functions (EFs) characterize most neurodevelopmental disorders, it is appropriate to question the value of EFs for understanding learning disabilities. Two types of studies--those testing whether EFs moderate treatment effects and those testing the direction of effects between EFs and academic skills--are presented to…

Introduction: There continues to be a lack of conclusive data on how IQ, executive functions and emotional intelligence, as a set of factors, contribute toward academic skills. Method: This lack prompted the implementation of this study in 34 children (9-year-olds), through the application of the following instruments--Kaufman Brief Intelligence…

Background: A large evidence base suggests that without effective early intervention, young children who exhibit persistent challenging behavior often face a host of long-term social and academic challenges (Bulotsky-Shearer & Fantuzzo, 2011; Hauser-Cram & Woodman, 2016; Kazdin, 1995; Lane et al., 2008; Miller et al., 2017). Challenging…

Multiple regression data from a teacher-completed one-minute rating scale (i.e., the Brief Behavior, Academic, and Social Screener; B-BASS) predicted academic risk of 198 third- through fifth-grade rural elementary students; teacher ratings across 16 B-BASS items within cognitive, social/emotional, socioeconomic/family, and executive functions…