Changing relations among cognitive abilities across development: implications for measurement and research

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Science
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Intelligence and executive function (EF) are key constructs in cognitive research and clinical assessment.
• Understanding age-related associations among these abilities is crucial for accurate measurement and research.
• Limited knowledge exists on how age influences the relationship between intelligence and EF across development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare models of intelligence and EF, examining their associations across different developmental periods.
• To investigate the role of age in the relationship between intellectual abilities and EF.
• To assess the predictive power of these cognitive constructs on ADHD-related difficulties.

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory factor analysis was used to model cognitive abilities in child and young-adult samples.
• Intellectual abilities and EF were assessed in typically developing children (N=250) and young adults (N=329).
• ADHD-related difficulties were regressed on general cognitive ability and separate intelligence and EF factors.

Main Results:

• Age demonstrated a stronger association with cognitive abilities in children compared to young adults.
• Cognitive models explained more variance in the child sample than in the young-adult sample.
• In children, a general cognitive ability factor predicted ADHD difficulties, unlike separate intelligence and EF factors.

Conclusions:

• Statistical control of age-related variables like intelligence and EF is not recommended in child cognitive assessments.
• Rapid developmental changes in cognitive abilities necessitate careful consideration of age effects.
• Accurate assessment of cognitive constructs in children requires acknowledging age-dependent associations.