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Linking childhood poverty and cognition: environmental mediators of non‐verbal executive control in an Argentine sample
Author(s) -
Lipina Sebastián,
Segretin Soledad,
Hermida Julia,
Prats Lucía,
Fracchia Carolina,
Camelo Jorge López,
Colombo Jorge
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
developmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1467-7687
pISSN - 1363-755X
DOI - 10.1111/desc.12080
Subject(s) - working memory , psychology , socioeconomic status , neurocognitive , executive functions , cognition , developmental psychology , attentional control , verbal memory , control (management) , cognitive psychology , population , demography , management , neuroscience , sociology , economics
Abstract Tests of attentional control, working memory, and planning were administered to compare the non‐verbal executive control performance of healthy children from different socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition, mediations of several sociodemographic variables, identified in the literature as part of the experience of child poverty, between socioeconomic status and cognitive performance were assessed. Results show: (1) significant differences in performance between groups in most dependent variables analyzed – however, not in all variables associated with attentional control domains; (2) significant indirect effects of literacy activities on working memory and fluid processing domains, as well as computer resources effects on fluid processing; and (3) marginal indirect effects of computer resources on attentional control and working memory domains. These findings extend analysis of the impact of poverty on the development of executive control, through information based on the assessment of combined neurocognitive paradigms and the identification of specific environmental mediators.