Longitudinal Associations between Children's Executive Functioning and Problem Behaviors: An Examination of Gender Differences

Theory and research suggest close links between executive functioning and children's problem behaviors. However, evidence regarding the direction of these developmental pathways remains mixed, and whether the longitudinal associations differ between boys and girls is unclear. To address these gaps, the present study used cross-lagged panel models to examine longitudinal associations between three subcomponents of executive functioning (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) and internalizing and externalizing problems separately among boys and girls. Participants were 621 children (M_ageT1 = 9.84 years, 51.4% girls) in Grades 1-5 from a public elementary school, who completed assessments at baseline (T1) and 6 months later (T2). Among boys, higher working memory and cognitive flexibility at T1 predicted fewer externalizing problems at T2; neither internalizing nor externalizing problems at T1 predicted any subcomponent of executive functioning at T2. Among girls, higher inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility at T1 predicted fewer internalizing and externalizing problems at T2, whereas working memory at T1 predicted fewer externalizing problems only. More externalizing problems at T1 also predicted lower cognitive flexibility at T2 among girls. Only the path from inhibitory control to later externalizing problems differed significantly between boys and girls. These findings indicate component- and outcome-specific prospective associations, with more limited evidence of gender-specific pathways. They also identify executive functioning as a potentially useful target for efforts to reduce vulnerability to problem behaviors in school-age children, although the observational design does not establish causal effects.