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Published on: December 7, 2018
The association between positive childhood experiences and executive function among Chinese adolescents
Shengyu Luo1, Xiuqiong Feng2, Lu Li1
1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University.
Objective:
Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) have been linked to adolescent health, but less is known about their association with executive function or the unique contributions of specific PCEs. This study aimed to examine the association between individual PCEs and adolescent executive function and to explore whether these associations differed by maltreatment experiences.
Method:
This cross-sectional study included 4,789 high school students (Mage: 14.0 years, 53.9% boys) in Guangzhou, China. Adolescents self-reported their PCEs, executive function, and maltreatment experiences using the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale, the Adolescent Executive Function Scale, and the Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire, respectively. Structural equation modeling was applied to estimate the association of individual PCEs with latent executive function domains. Multiple-group structural equation modeling was used to examine whether the associations differed by maltreatment experiences.
Results:
Three latent executive function domains were identified, including inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. Among the individual PCEs, positive self-perception, a predictable home routine, and enjoyment of school showed the largest standardized coefficients across all executive function domains. In multiple-group structural equation modeling analyses, none of the structural paths from PCEs to executive function domains significantly differed between adolescents with and without maltreatment experiences, indicating comparable associations across maltreatment subgroups.
Conclusions:
Our findings revealed complex associations between PCEs and adolescent executive function, underscoring the importance of promoting multifaceted PCEs across self, family, and school contexts to support cognitive development for all adolescents, regardless of their maltreatment experiences. Nevertheless, future randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these conclusions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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