Abstract:
Early childhood executive functioning (EF) predicts later adjustment and academic achievement. However, measuring EF consistently and efficiently across settings in early childhood can be challenging. Most researchers use task-based measures of EF, but these methods present practical challenges that impede implementation in some settings. The current study of 380 3-5-year-old children in the United States evaluated the psychometric properties of a new 14-item parent-reported measure of EF in a diverse urban school district. This questionnaire aimed to capture a normative range of EF skills in ecologically valid contexts. There was evidence for two specific subscales - one that measures children\'s EF challenges and another that measures children\'s EF skills. Results suggested that several items demonstrated differential item functioning by age and race. After adjusting for measurement differences across demographic groups and controlling for age at screening, the EF challenges subscale was more strongly related to task-based measures of EF than was the EF skills subscale. EF challenges predicted third-grade math achievement, controlling for demographic variables and a performance-based measure of children\'s early cognitive and academic skills. Results suggest that this parent report of EF could be a useful and effective early childhood screening tool.
摘要:
幼儿执行功能(EF)可预测以后的适应和学业成绩。然而,在儿童早期的环境中持续有效地测量EF可能是具有挑战性的。大多数研究人员使用基于任务的EF度量,但是这些方法提出了实际挑战,阻碍了在某些情况下的实施。当前对美国380名3-5岁儿童的研究评估了在不同的城市学区中父母报告的新的14项EF测量的心理测量特性。该问卷旨在在生态有效的环境中捕获规范范围的EF技能。有两个特定的子量表的证据-一个衡量儿童的EF挑战,另一个衡量儿童的EF技能。结果表明,一些项目显示出不同年龄和种族的项目功能。在调整了不同人口群体的测量差异并控制了筛查年龄后,与EF技能分量表相比,EF挑战分量表与基于任务的EF测量的相关性更强.EF挑战预测三年级数学成绩,控制人口统计学变量和基于表现的儿童早期认知和学术技能测量。结果表明,EF的这份父母报告可能是一种有用且有效的幼儿筛查工具。