Not all babies are in the same boat: Exploring the effects of socioeconomic status, parental attitudes, and activities during the 2020 COVID‐19 pandemic on early Executive Functions

Abstract

Early executive functions (EFs) lay the foundations for academic and social outcomes. In this parent-report study of 575 UK-based 8-to 36 month olds (218 followed longitudinally), we investigate how variation in the home environment before and during the 2020 pandemic relates to infants' emerging EFs. Parent-infant enriching activities were positively associated with infant Cognitive Executive Function (CEF) (encompassing inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility). During the most-restrictive UK lockdownbut not subsequently-socioeconomic status (SES) was positively associated with levels of parent-infant enriching activities. Parents who regard fostering early learning, affection, and attachment as important were more likely to engage in parent-infant enriching activities, yet there was no significant pathway from parental attitudes or SES to CEF via activities. Infant screen use was negatively associated with CEF and Regulation. Screen use fully mediated the effect of SES on CEF, and partially mediated the effect of SES on regulation.

Towards a dimensional model of risk and protective factors influencing children’s early cognitive, social and emotional development during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…It is not yet known whether these effects will be sustained over a longer period, or whether the benefits of parent-child enriching activities are specific to older toddlers compared with infants. To date, sex differences in these effects have not been reported Hendry et al, 2022, Rosen et al, 2020 . Engagement in parent-child activities may also be expected to support the development of social competence (i.e., engagement in pro-social behaviours such as sharing readily and being considerate of others' feelings).…”

“…Cross-sectional research also points to an important but less wellstudied link between screen use and social competence (Wan et al, 2021). During the specific context of the pandemic, the amount of time that parents reported that their child spent engaged with a screen showed a small negative association with child executive functions (Hendry et al, 2022); what is not yet known is whether these effects are pervasive over a longer period, particularly after taking into account other aspects of the home environment.…”

“…Concerning variation in parent-child enriching activities, although there is a broad literature linking socioeconomic factors to enrichment in the home (Hackman et al, 2015;Rosen et al, 2020;Vrantsidis et al, 2020), much of this work is based on the Home Observation of the Environment (HOME) measure which is biased towards costly sources of enrichment (e.g., excursions, musical equipment provision), and overlooks other, free sources of enrichment such as singing and telling stories (Zaslow et al, 2006). When alternative measures were used, a pervasive association between SES and parent-child enriching activities in the context of the pandemic was not found (Hendry et al, 2022), whilst US-based research has demonstrated that many families provide a cognitively-stimulating home environment despite economic hardship (DeJoseph et al, 2021). Meanwhile, infant and toddler screen use has been observed to be negatively associated with SES, with parents from higher-SES reporting their children to have less screen time both before (Hendry et al, 2022;Ribner & McHarg, 2021;Supanitayanon et al, 2020) and during the pandemic (Bergmann et al, 2021;Hendry et al, 2022) compared with parents from less-advantaged backgrounds.…”

“…When alternative measures were used, a pervasive association between SES and parent-child enriching activities in the context of the pandemic was not found (Hendry et al, 2022), whilst US-based research has demonstrated that many families provide a cognitively-stimulating home environment despite economic hardship (DeJoseph et al, 2021). Meanwhile, infant and toddler screen use has been observed to be negatively associated with SES, with parents from higher-SES reporting their children to have less screen time both before (Hendry et al, 2022;Ribner & McHarg, 2021;Supanitayanon et al, 2020) and during the pandemic (Bergmann et al, 2021;Hendry et al, 2022) compared with parents from less-advantaged backgrounds.…”

“…Data from Spring 2020 and Winter 2020 relating to participant demographics, access to Early Childhood Education and Care, enriching activities, screen use and executive functions have been previously reported in Hendry et al (2022). No data relating to parental mental health, or social support at any timepoint has previously been reported, and no outcome data from the Spring 2021 data collection wave (i.e.…”