The Impact of Bilingualism on Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review Based on the PRISMA Method

Abstract

Approximately half of the world's population is bilingual or multilingual. The bilingual advantage theory claims that the constant need to control both known languages, that are always active in the brain, to use the one suitable for each specific context improves cognitive functions and specifically executive functions. However, some authors do not agree on the bilingual effect, given the controversial results of studies on this topic. This systematic review aims to summarize the results of studies on the relationship between bilingualism and executive functions. The review was conducted according to PRISMA-statement through searches in the scientific database PsychINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, and PUBMED. Studies included in this review had at least one bilingual and monolingual group, participants aged between 5 and 17 years, and at least one executive function measure. Studies on second language learners, multilingual people, and the clinical population were excluded. Fifty-three studies were included in the systematic review. Evidence supporting the bilingual effect seems to appear when assessing inhibition and cognitive flexibility, but to disappear when working memory is considered. The inconsistent results of the studies do not allow drawing definite conclusions on the bilingual effect. Further studies are needed; they should consider the role of some modulators (e.g., language history and context, methodological differences) on the observed results.

Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders

“…In the four groups in the present study, no other significant differences emerged in phonological and semantic fluency, which confirms the findings of some previous studies on SLD but contradicts others that noted a specific deficit in children with SLD (Bental and Tirosh, 2007 ; Mengisidou and Marshall, 2019 ). The present results are otherwise congruent with recent research on bilingualism (Giovannoli et al, 2020 ). Finally, no effect of either condition emerged in the graphic fluency task.…”

Characterizing Bilingual Effects on Cognition: The Search for Meaningful Individual Differences

“…Sociocultural components of bilingualism/multilingualism should influence research design. There are factors, now obvious, which have been shown to impact language processing, including the degree of use (e.g., limited, partial, proficient), mastery of reception and production (e.g., receptive bilingual and productive bilingual), sequence of acquisition (e.g., simultaneous or sequential), and degree of balance (e.g., balanced and non-balanced) for an overview, see [ 56 ]. An even broader issue is the sociocultural context in which an individual uses the different languages see [ 57 ] for a nuanced interrogation of this issue.…”

Bilingual Effect in the Development of Executive Function

“…Согласно исследованиям O.O. Adesope, билингвизм может положительно влиять на развитие некоторых когнитивных функций, в частности на управление изменением поведения [12]. D.W. Green отмечает, что билингвы развивают две языковые системы одновременно или последовательно, и обе языковые системы являются активными при использовании любого из языков.…”

“…Klein, билингвы посредством продолжительных упражнений оказываются очень успешны в сознательном контроле за использованием одного или нескольких своих языков. Этот опыт упражнений оказывает влияние на процессы префронтального управления изменением поведения [12]. E. Bialystok, F.I.M.…”

“…Во всех исследованиях двуязычным участникам требовалось меньше времени на решение задачи по сравнению с одноязычными [9; 11] Векслера для оценки вербального зрительного внимания. В задании с вербальными стимулами двуязычные дети справлялись значительно хуже, чем одноязычные, в то время как в задании с невербальными стимулами различий между двумя группами не выявлено [12]. S.M.…”