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The Relationship Between Executive Functions and Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors in Mexican Preschoolers
Judith Salvador-Cruz1, Jessica Paola Becerra-Arcos1
1Laboratorio de Neuropsicología del Desarrollo, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México.
Developmental Neuropsychology
|January 13, 2023
Summary
Executive functions, crucial for behavior and emotion regulation, are linked to externalizing and internalizing behaviors in Mexican preschoolers. Specific cognitive skills like Forward Digit Span also predict attentional issues.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Executive functions are vital for regulating behavior and emotions in children.
- Understanding these functions is key to addressing behavioral challenges in early development.
- Research in diverse cultural contexts, like Mexico, is essential for broader applicability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between executive functions and externalizing/internalizing behaviors in Mexican preschoolers.
- To identify specific executive function components related to behavioral regulation.
- To explore the predictive role of cognitive measures on attentional problems.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 30 typically developing Mexican preschoolers from middle-low socioeconomic status homes participated.
- Behavioral and cognitive assessments were employed to measure executive functions and behaviors.
- Robust statistical analyses were utilized to examine the relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- Executive functions demonstrated a significant relationship with both externalizing and internalizing behaviors at the behavioral level.
- The Forward Digit Span task was identified as a significant predictor of attentional problems.
- Individual differences in cognitive development were highlighted within the Mexican context.
Conclusions:
- Executive functions are closely associated with behavioral and emotional regulation in preschoolers.
- Cognitive assessments can offer insights into potential attentional difficulties.
- Findings have important clinical and educational implications for supporting child development in Mexico.
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