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Infancy predictors of preschool and post‐kindergarten executive function
Author(s) -
Kraybill Jessica H.,
Bell Martha Ann
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.21057
Subject(s) - psychology , affect (linguistics) , developmental psychology , executive functions , brain function , brain development , cognition , neuroscience , communication
Little is known about factors that promote optimal development of executive function (EF) skills. The focus of this study was associations among early maternal behaviors, infant frontal brain electrical activity, and child EF at age 4 and following kindergarten. Infant frontal electroencephalogram was collected from 56 infants at 10 months of age and maternal positive affect was observed. Children completed EF measures in the research laboratory at age 4; parental‐reported EF was obtained following children's kindergarten year. Maternal positive affect and infant frontal brain electrical activity measured when the children were 10 months jointly and uniquely predicted both preschool and post‐kindergarten EF. Findings suggest parenting behavior and brain development in infancy are precursors of later self‐regulatory EF abilities. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 55: 530–538, 2013