Executive functions, metacognitive monitoring and academic abilities

Abstract

Executive function (EF) and metacognition are two cognitive predictors with well-established connections to academic performance. Despite sharing several theoretical characteristics, their overlap or independence concerning multiple academic outcomes remain under-researched. To address this gap, the present study applies a latent-variable approach to test a novel theoretical model that delineates the structural link between EF, metacognition, and academic performance. In whole-class sessions, 469 children aged 9 to 14 years (M = 11.93; SD = 0.92) completed four computerized EF tasks (inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning), a metacognition questionnaire, and four standardized tests of academic ability. There is a small effect size negative correlation between EF and metacognition in this sample, but they have both shared and unique contributions to academic performance. The findings are important for elucidating the role between two domain-general cognitive skills (EF and metacognition) and domain-specific academic skills.