Age-related changes in error processing in young children: a school-based investigation.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Executive functioning (EF) is crucial for academic success, particularly during the elementary school transition.
• The development of electrophysiological markers of EF, such as the error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe), during this period is not well understood.
• Existing evidence on ERP components related to EF in early childhood is inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the developmental trajectory of the ERN and Pe in children aged 3–7 years during the transition to elementary school.
• To examine the relationship between these ERP components and behavioral measures of response inhibition.
• To explore potential gender differences in error processing during this developmental stage.

Main Methods:

• A Go/No-Go task was administered to 96 children (aged 3–7) in a school setting.
• Event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically the ERN and Pe, were recorded during the task.
• Behavioral data (accuracy and reaction time) were analyzed alongside ERP measures.

Main Results:

• Both the ERN and Pe were present in children across all age groups on error trials.
• Older children exhibited enhanced response inhibition, indicated by faster and more accurate performance.
• The Pe amplitude increased with age, while no significant developmental changes were found for the ERN.
• Girls demonstrated fewer errors and larger Pe amplitudes compared to boys.

Conclusions:

• The ERN is observable in children as young as 3 years old.
• Significant developmental changes in the Pe component occur between ages 3 and 7.
• Gender influences error processing, with girls showing distinct patterns in error monitoring.
• These findings contribute to understanding the interplay between behavior and electrophysiology in child error processing.