Can Executive Functions Predict Behavior in Preschool Children?
Tipo
Artigo
Data de publicação
2017
Periódico
Psychology and Neuroscience
Citações (Scopus)
18
Autores
Dias N.M.
Trevisan B.T.
Leon C.B.R.
Prust A.P.
Seabra A.G.
Trevisan B.T.
Leon C.B.R.
Prust A.P.
Seabra A.G.
Orientador
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ISSN da Revista
Título de Volume
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Resumo
© 2017 American Psychological Association.The study investigated the relationship and explanatory models of behavior from measures of executive functions, regulation and delay aversion in preschool children. Participants were 180 children, aged between 3 and 6 years (M = 5.06, SD = 0.73), their parents and teachers. An identification questionnaire, completed by the parents, and the collection of information from the school records were used for verification of the exclusion criteria. Parents and teachers answered the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which provides indices of behavioral and mental health in childhood, and the Executive functioning, regulation and delay aversion difficulties Inventory (IFERA-I), a functional measure of the child's performance. Relationships were found between the majority of the scales of the IFERA-I and the SDQ. Regression analysis showed that the executive functions performed an important role in the explanatory models of behavior, while regulation and delay aversion did not show the same relevance. Flexibility and inhibition were the most relevant skills in all models. The study suggests candidate skills to target in early intervention programs for the promotion of adapted behavior and mental health in childhood.