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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools

Published on: June 20, 2020

Assessing Executive Functions in Preschoolers Using Shape School Task.

Marta Nieto¹, Laura Ros¹, Gloria Medina¹

¹Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute of Neurological Disabilities, University of Castilla-La Mancha Albacete, Spain.

Frontiers in Psychology

|October 13, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Preschool executive functions (EF) improve with age and are linked to other cognitive skills. Early assessment of EF in children is crucial for understanding development.

Keywords:

Shape School executive functions general cognitive abilities inhibition preschoolers switch working memory

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Educational Psychology

Background:

Executive functions (EF) are critical for cognitive, social, and academic development in children.
Preschool years are a key period for EF development, influencing future outcomes.
Accurate assessment tools for preschool EF are essential for research and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze the development of inhibition, task-switching, and working memory in preschoolers using the Shape School task.
To investigate the relationship between executive functions and verbal (vocabulary, word reasoning, short-term memory) and performance (picture completion, symbol search) cognitive variables.
To determine the extent to which EFs explain performance on other cognitive tasks in early childhood.

Main Methods:

Utilized the Shape School task to assess inhibition, task-switching, and working memory in 304 preschoolers (aged 3.25-6.50 years).
Administered additional cognitive tasks measuring verbal abilities and performance skills.
Employed correlation analyses and structural equation modeling to examine age-related changes and interrelationships between variables.

Main Results:

Significant age-associated improvements were observed in executive functions and all assessed cognitive variables.
Positive correlations were found between executive functions and verbal and performance cognitive measures.
Structural equation modeling indicated that executive functions substantially explain variance in verbal and performance task outcomes, with age having direct and indirect effects.

Conclusions:

Preschool age is a critical window for executive function development and its integration with other cognitive processes.
The Shape School task is a valuable tool for assessing key executive functions in preschoolers.
Understanding the interplay between EF and other cognitive skills in early childhood has implications for educational and clinical practices.