Pathways to School Readiness: Executive Functioning Predicts Academic and Social–Emotional Aspects of School Readiness

Abstract

ABSTRACT-The current study specified the extent to which hot and cool aspects of executive functioning predicted academic and social-emotional indicators of school readiness. It was unique in focusing on positive aspects of social-emotional readiness, rather than problem behaviors. One hundred four 3-5-year-old children completed tasks measuring executive functioning, social-emotional readiness, academic readiness, and vocabulary. As expected, age predicted executive functioning components and social-emotional readiness. Moreover, working memory and inhibitory control directly predicted academic readiness, whereas delay of gratification predicted social-emotional readiness. Working memory and inhibitory control predicted delay of gratification, consistent with the notion that simpler executive functions may set the stage for more complex executive functions. Interestingly, social-emotional readiness predicted academic readiness. These findings confirm that hot and cool aspects of executive functioning are related to social-emotional and academic school readiness.Early childhood is characterized by impressive gains in children's cognitive and social development that set the stage for school readiness and success. The importance of this period for later success has received increasing attention from educators, researchers, and policymakers in recent years. Early school success provides a firm foundation for later school success. Therefore, it is imperative to

Understanding Early Inhibitory Development: Distinguishing Two Ways That Children Use Inhibitory Control

“…For example, for both Theory of Mind tasks and measures of strategic reasoning, children’s performance is significantly associated with measures of inhibitory strength, but not with inhibitory endurance (Bellagamba et al, ; Carlson, Davis, & Leach, ; Carlson & Moses, ). Conversely, for behavioral problems and social‐emotional aspects of school readiness, children’s performance is associated with measures of inhibitory endurance, but not inhibitory strength (Bassett et al, ; Mann, Hund, Hesson‐McInnis, & Roman, ; Mulder, Hoofs, Verhagen, van der Veen, & Leseman, ).…”

Age‐related change in brain rhythms from early to middle childhood: Links to executive function

“…Children who have good EF abilities, for instance, are better prepared to enter school (Mann, Hund, Hesson-McInnis, & Roman, 2017), perform well academically (Allan, Hume, Allan, Farrington, & Lonigan, 2014), and are socioemotionally competent (McClelland, Cameron, Wanless, & Murray, 2007). Moreover, having strong EF skills during early childhood sets the stage for positive long-term outcomes, such as higher socioeconomic status, better health, and lower levels of involvement in criminal activity (Moffitt et al, 2011).…”

Measuring executive function skills in young children in Kenya: Associations with school readiness

“…They reported mean effect sizes of rs = 0.27 and 0.29 for reading and math achievement, respectively, for 3-to 5-year-old children, and rs = 0.35 and 0.36 for reading and math achievement, respectively, for 6-to 11-year-old children. EF skills are also associated with social-emotional competence in young children (Mann, Hund, Hesson-McInnis, & Roman, 2017;Riggs, Jahromi, Razza, Dillworth-Bart, & Mueller, 2006;Sasser, Bierman, Heinrichs, & Nix, 2017). We are unaware of any meta-analyses relating EF skills to social-emotional competence among young children.…”