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ERIC Number: EJ1334097
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Apr
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Executive Control throughout Elementary School: Factor Structure and Associations with Early Childhood Executive Control
Nelson, Timothy D.; James, Tiffany D.; Nelson, Jennifer Mize; Tomaso, Cara C.; Espy, Kimberly Andrews
Developmental Psychology, v58 n4 p730-750 Apr 2022
This study examined the factor structure of executive control throughout elementary school, as well as associations between executive control abilities in preschool and elementary school. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of executive control development in a community sample of children (N = 294; 53% female, 47% male) oversampled for low family income (25.4% below poverty line; M[subscript income] = $46,638; SD = $33,256). The sample was representative of the Midwestern city in which the study was conducted in terms of race (71.4% White, 24.5% multiracial, 3.7% Black, and 0.3% Asian American) and ethnicity (14% Hispanic). Children completed a battery of ten performance-based tasks assessing executive control abilities in grades 1 (M[subscript age] = 7.08 years), 2 (M[subscript age] = 8.04 years), 3 (M[subscript age] = 9.02 years), and 4 (M[subscript age] = 9.98 years). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure at each grade with factors representing working memory and inhibitory control/flexible shifting. Measurement invariance testing revealed partial scalar (indicator intercepts) invariance for working memory and partial metric (indicator loadings) and partial scalar invariance for inhibitory control/flexible shifting. Preschool executive control (age 4.5 years), represented by a unitary latent factor, significantly predicted working memory ([beta]s = 0.79, 0.72, 0.81, 0.66) and inhibitory control/flexible shifting ([beta]s = 0.69, 0.64, 0.63, 0.62) factors in grades 1 through 4. Follow-up analyses indicated that the findings were not attributable to general cognitive ability. Findings support greater separability of executive control components in elementary school versus preschool, and considerable continuity of executive control from preschool through elementary school.
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (DHHS/NIH); National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (DHHS/NIH); National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS); National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (DHHS/NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Grant or Contract Numbers: R01MH065668; R01DK116693; R01DA041738; P20GM130461
Author Affiliations: N/A