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How attention factors into executive function in preschool children
Aditi V Deodhar1, Bennett I Bertenthal2
1HANDS in Autism® Interdisciplinary Training and Resource Center, Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health, Department of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 28, 2023
Summary
Attentional control and executive function are related but distinct in preschoolers. A comprehensive assessment requires evaluating both, alongside working memory and response inhibition, for a complete understanding of executive function development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Executive function (EF) involves self-regulation for goal-directed actions.
- The relationship between attention and EF in early childhood remains debated.
- Previous research often conflates distinct EF and attention processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structural relationship between attentional control and executive function in preschoolers.
- To determine if attention is integral to or separable from other EF processes.
Main Methods:
- Preschoolers (n=137) completed tasks assessing response inhibition, working memory, sustained attention, and selective attention.
- Two tasks were used per process to mitigate task variance.
- Confirmatory factor analyses tested one-factor, two-factor, and three-factor models.
Main Results:
- A two-factor model, separating attentional control from executive function, provided the best fit to the data.
- This suggests attentional control and executive function are related yet distinct constructs.
- Findings differentiate attentional control as a separate factor from working memory and response inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Attentional control is a separable, yet related, component of executive function in preschoolers.
- Complete assessment of preschool executive function necessitates measuring attentional control, in addition to working memory and response inhibition.
- This research clarifies the structure of executive function during early development.
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