Executive function and mathematics in preschool children: Training and transfer effects

Prager, Emily O.; Ernst, Jasmine R.; Mazzocco, Michèle M.M.; Carlson, Stephanie M.

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105663

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…These nuanced findings are often lost when datasets are combined in meta-analytical studies and can lead to distorted reports on the impact of training on targeted outcomes. Indeed when the results of recent individual trials of EF training in neurotypical preschool children 103 as well as children with developmental vulnerabilities (e.g. neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder 104 ) are reviewed they indicate no near transfer to cognitive measures of EF, consistent with our findings.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

A digital intervention to support childhood cognition after the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot trial

Kirk,

Spencer-Smith,

Jobson

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Difficulties in executive functioning (EF) can result in impulsivity, forgetfulness, and inattention. Children living in remote/regional communities are particularly at risk of impairment in these cognitive skills due to reduced educational engagement and poorer access to interventions. This vulnerability has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies are needed to mitigate long-term negative impacts on EF. Here we propose a pilot trial investigating the benefits, feasibility, and acceptability of a school-based EF intervention for primary school students (6–8 years) living in regional, developmentally vulnerable, and socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Students were randomised to a digital intervention or teaching as usual, for 7 weeks. Children completed measures of EF and parents/educators completed ratings of everyday EF and social/emotional wellbeing at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Change in EFs (primary outcome), everyday EF, and social/emotional wellbeing (secondary outcomes) from pre- to post-intervention and pre-intervention to 3-month follow-up were examined. Feasibility and acceptability of the intervention was assessed through educator feedback and intervention adherence.Protocol Registration: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 20 April 2023. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WT3S2. The approved Stage 1 protocol is available here: https://osf.io/kzfwn.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

A digital intervention to support childhood cognition after the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot trial

Kirk,

Spencer-Smith,

Jobson

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The associations between executive functions and numeracy development similarly suggests that supporting EF in preschools might also benefit children's numeracy development, though this is even more speculative. Such a proposal is further supported by evidence from a new randomized trial that demonstrated that training EF facilitated both EF and math development in preschoolers (Prager et al, 2023).…”

Section: Implications For Research and Practicementioning

confidence: 89%

General and math vocabulary contributions to early numeracy skills in a large population-representative sample

Bleses,

Moos,

Purpura

et al. 2023

Front. Dev. Psychol.

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There are well-documented associations between numeracy development in preschool age children and general and math vocabulary, literacy, and executive functions. However, the studies have largely included small samples of children with parents with either predominantly low or higher socioeconomic background (SES); further, few studies have included measures of all these domains in the same analyses. In this current study, we examined how general vocabulary, math vocabulary, rhyme detection and three measures of executive functions are associated with numeracy development in a population representative sample of 2,931 Danish children 3–5 years (51% male, 89% white). Multi-level regressions controlling for child age and, sex, and in some analyses also parental education and income confirmed that general vocabulary (β = 0.16), math language (β = 0.17), rhyme detection (β = 0.14), attention shifting (β = 0.09), inhibitory control (β = 0.05), and working memory (β = 0.09) each are associated with numeracy after controlling for covariates when estimated in the same model. Analyses of extreme performance (low-high) suggests a much closer and symmetrical connection between math language and numeracy compared to that between general vocabulary and numeracy. Interestingly, family SES is weakly but significantly related to all measures, most strongly for the vocabulary measures, but does not influence the pattern of results from regression analyses. In conclusion, both general vocabulary and mathematics-specific vocabulary contribute substantially to early numeracy skills. Rhyme detection and executive functions are also associated with numeracy skills, but with a lower magnitude.

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“…Furthermore, Clements et al (2020) did not find evidence of improved numeracy after an intervention that combined numeracy and EF elements. Furthermore, a small-scale but pioneering proof-of-principle study (Prager et al, 2023) contrasted brief training sessions of EF training alone with comparable sessions of numeracy training alone, and an integrated EF and numeracy training condition. Training in EF alone improved EF, but not general mathematics skills, whereas integrated EF and mathematics training improved mathematics, but not to a significantly greater degree than the numeracy condition only.…”

Section: Alternatives To 'Isolated' Ef Interventions: Integrated Ef/m...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Making the Executive ‘Function’ for the Foundations of Mathematics: the Need for Explicit Theories of Change for Early Interventions

Scerif,

Blakey,

Gattas

et al. 2023

Educ Psychol Rev

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A vast body of work highlights executive functions (EFs) as robust correlates of mathematics achievement over the primary and preschool years. Yet, despite such correlational evidence, there is limited evidence that EF interventions yield improvements in early years mathematics. As intervention studies are a powerful tool to move beyond correlation to causality, failures of transfer from executive functions interventions are, we argue, highly problematic for both applied and theoretical reasons. We review the existing correlational and intervention literature at complementary neuroscientific, cognitive, developmental and educational levels. We appraise distinct theories of change underpinning the correlations between EF and early mathematics, as well as explicit or implicit theories of change for different types of EF interventions. We find that isolated EF interventions are less likely to transfer to improvements in mathematics than integrated interventions. Via this conceptual piece, we highlight that the field of EF development is in need of (1) a clearer framework for the mechanisms underpinning the relationships between early EF and other developing domains, such as mathematical cognition; (2) clearer putative theories of change for how interventions of different kinds operate in the context of EF and such domains; (3) and greater clarity on the developmental and educational contexts that influence these causal associations. Our synthesis of the evidence emphasises the need to consider the dynamic development of EFs with co-developing cognitive functions, such as early math skills, when designing education environments. [234 words].

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Executive function and mathematics in preschool children: Training and transfer effects

Cited by 7 publications

References 70 publications

A digital intervention to support childhood cognition after the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot trial

A digital intervention to support childhood cognition after the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot trial

General and math vocabulary contributions to early numeracy skills in a large population-representative sample

Making the Executive ‘Function’ for the Foundations of Mathematics: the Need for Explicit Theories of Change for Early Interventions

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