Executive functions form a single construct and are associated with schooling: Evidence from three low- and middle- income countries

Wray, Charlotte; Kowalski, Alysse; Mpondo, Feziwe; Ochaeta, Laura; Belleza, Delia; DiGirolamo, Ann; Waford, Rachel; Richter, Linda; Lee, Nanette; Scerif, Gaia; Stein, Aryeh D.; Stein, Alan; Cohorts,

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242936

Cited by 19 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Another interpretation is that maturation of functional brain networks (Klaver et al, 2011) involving development of attention, planning, and speed of information processing, in turn improve WM (Conant et al, 2003;Klingberg, 2006;Leonard et al, 2007;Vuontela et al, 2003). And so, support the idea that age and particularly years of schooling (Barutchu et al, 2020;Colmar et al, 2020;Tikhomirova et al, 2020;Wray et al, 2020) rapidly increase familiarity with visual symbols for digits and result in more rapid less effortful translation of such visual representations into their verbal equivalents which necessarily facilitates the automaticity of numerical VWM tasks.…”

Section: Grade and Performance On The Visual/ Auditory Wm Tasksmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…The current findings support the view that VWM and AWM capacity increase rapidly as a child matures from 5 to 7 years, potentially reaching adolescent WM levels from 10 to 11 years as suggested by existing cognitive psychology literature (Alloway et al, 2006; Ang & Lee, 2010; Baddeley & Hitch, 2000; Cowan et al, 1999; Kail, 1992), and similar to the changes observed in electrophysiological multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) assessment of development of speed of visual processing (Barutchu et al, 2020; Crewther et al, 1999). One explanation is that as children grow, they establish different mnemonic and rehearsal approaches that enhance WM and improve with increased knowledge (Chi, 1978), experience, and literacy gained at schools (Alghamdi et al, 2021; Ang & Lee, 2010; Baddeley & Hitch, 2000; Colmar et al, 2020; Pickering, 2001; Tikhomirova et al, 2020; Wray et al, 2020). This explanation is supported by Conant et al (2003) who investigated the effect of educational environments on VWM and AWM in children (4–8 years) and found that learning and schooling significantly influence WM development.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The contribution of visual processing speed to visual and auditory working memory in early school years.

Alghamdi¹,

Murphy²

2021

Psychology & Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to examine the predictive contribution of age and speed of visual processing measures to the determination of visual working memory (VWM) and auditory working memory (AWM) in children aged 5–7 years. Method: The present study has used structural equation models (SEM) for determination of speed of visual processing measures (visual inspection time, visual–verbal rapid automatic naming of objects, and a visuo-motor game-like iPad application) to working memory (WM) using forward and backward visual and auditory verbal digit span (FDS and BDS, respectively) tasks as the dependent working memory (WM) measures. Results: Analysis of variance revealed that visual and auditory FDS and BDS improved significantly with school grade being consistent with the notion that VWM and AWM are experimentally dissociable cognitive domains that develop at differential rates in early years of schooling as the child becomes progressively more familiar with the translation of visual symbols into their verbal equivalents. Furthermore, our SEM does not support Baddeley’s multicomponent model of working memory, with visual information processing significantly contributing to VWM but not to AWM in primary school-aged children. Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence of continuing WM development paralleling brain maturation of children. Overall, our results support a developmental cognitive neuroscience approach to WM development.

show abstract

Section: Grade and Performance On The Visual/ Auditory Wm Tasksmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of visual processing speed to visual and auditory working memory in early school years.

Alghamdi¹,

Murphy²

2021

Psychology & Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We assessed three core executive functions (working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility) using computerized Spanish-version tests from the cognition battery of the NIH Toolbox ( Zelazo et al, 2013 ). A complete description of these tests, including their validation, adaptation for Guatemala, and training for their administration, are provided elsewhere ( Wray et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of enhanced nutrition and psychosocial stimulation in early childhood on cognitive functioning and psychological well-being in Guatemalan adults

Ramírez-Luzuriaga

DiGirolamo

Martorell

et al. 2021

Social Science & Medicine

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rationale Early-life nutrition interventions in low and middle-income countries have demonstrated long-term benefits on cognitive skills, however, their influence on socioemotional outcomes has not been fully explored. Moreover, the mediating processes through which nutrition intervention effects operate and are maintained over time are understudied. Methods We followed-up a cohort of Guatemalan adults who participated as children in a community randomized food-supplementation trial. We examined associations of exposure to nutritional supplementation from conception to age 2 years with executive function (measured using three sub-tests of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery) and psychological well-being (measured using two sub-scales of the NIH Toolbox Emotion Battery) at ages 40–57 years (n = 1268). We used structural equation modeling to investigate the mediating role of psychosocial stimulation (measured in childhood using parent reports and ratings of home environments), cognitive ability (measured at ages 26–42 years using standardized tests), and executive function on the association of early-life exposure to nutritional supplementation with adult psychological well-being ( n = 1640). Results We found positive but inconsistent associations of nutritional supplementation in childhood with executive function and psychological well-being in adulthood. Psychosocial stimulation, cognitive ability, and executive function did not mediate the association of early-life nutritional supplementation with adult psychological well-being. We found strong and positive associations of psychosocial stimulation in childhood with cognitive ability, executive function, and psychological well-being in adulthood. Moreover, we observed no interaction of exposure to nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation in childhood with cognitive and psychological well-being outcomes in adulthood. Conclusion Our findings suggest that childhood nutrition interventions have long-lasting effects on cognitive ability and psychological well-being outcomes.

show abstract

“…Survey instruments were administered by trained enumerators. Details on training, adaptation, and administration of the cognitive tests are published elsewhere [ 28 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive and socio-emotional correlates of psychological well-being and mental health in Guatemalan adults

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Little is known about associations of psychological and mental well-being with cognitive and socioemotional factors in low and middle-income countries, particularly among vulnerable populations born in adverse environments that may restrict developmental potential. This study aimed to examine the cognitive and socioemotional correlates of psychological well-being and mental health in a cohort of Guatemalan adults born in contexts of poverty and malnutrition. Methods From Dec 2017 to Apr 2019, data were collected from 704 women and 564 men ages 40–57 years living in four rural villages in eastern Guatemala and Guatemala City. We measured latent domains of psychological well-being, spirituality and religion, emotional support, and executive function using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Under a Structural Equation Modeling framework, we examined intercorrelations among latent domains and observed measures of intelligence and mental health. Results CFA supported the construct validity of factor structures in this population. Correlations of psychological well-being with spirituality and religion were moderate in women (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) and men (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). Executive function was weakly correlated with psychological well-being in men (r = 0.23, p < 0.001) and showed no association in women. Correlations of psychological well-being with emotional support and IQ were weak in women (r = 0.34, and r = 0.15, respectively; p < 0.001 for both) and men (r = 0.35, and r = 0.25, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). Mental health and IQ were weakly correlated in men (r = 0.09, p < 0.05) and showed no association in women. Mental health showed weak correlations with emotional support (r = 0.18, p < 0.001 in women; r = 0.09, p < 0.05 in men), psychological well-being (r = 0.32 and r = 0.35, in women and men respectively; p < 0.001 for both) and showed no association with executive function in both sexes. Conclusions Of all examined factors, spirituality and religion made the greatest contribution to psychological well-being. These findings support the notion that in populations experiencing difficult circumstances, religion can perhaps make a greater contribution to well-being and aid coping. More research is needed to examine mediators of this association.

show abstract

Executive functions form a single construct and are associated with schooling: Evidence from three low- and middle- income countries

Cited by 19 publications

References 38 publications

The contribution of visual processing speed to visual and auditory working memory in early school years.

The contribution of visual processing speed to visual and auditory working memory in early school years.

Influence of enhanced nutrition and psychosocial stimulation in early childhood on cognitive functioning and psychological well-being in Guatemalan adults

Cognitive and socio-emotional correlates of psychological well-being and mental health in Guatemalan adults

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About