Executive function at 48 months positively predicts mathematics ability at prekindergarten, with effects persisting after cognitive covariate controls¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · associational r3 · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2015 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 Executive function at 48 months is positively associated with math ability at prekindergarten (ES = .34 in demographic model; ES = .14 after cognitive covariates). → Blair 2015 q3 i? The executive function effect on math growth is reduced completely after adding cognitive covariates. → Blair 2015 (2)

Evidence¶

Blair 2015¶

Blair, C., Ursache, A., Greenberg, M., Vernon-Feagans, L., & The Family Life Project Investigators. (2015). Multiple Aspects of Self-Regulation Uniquely Predict Mathematics but Not Letter–Word Knowledge in the Early Elementary Grades. Developmental Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5264531/

q3 · i1 · associational · r3

Multilevel growth model (Model A) in a longitudinal sample of 1,292 children from predominantly rural, low-income communities. Executive function composite at 48 months predicted prekindergarten math (WJ III Applied Problems): "B = 13.46, SE = 1.65, p < .001, ES = .34". Effect reduced to ES = .14 after cognitive covariates (Model B).

"Executive function at 48 months was positively associated with math ability at the prekindergarten assessment (B = 13.46, SE = 1.65, p < .001, ES = .34), and with less rapid acquisition of math ability during the early elementary years (B = −1.07, SE = 0.47, p < .05, ES = .06)."

Blair 2015 (2)¶

Blair, C., Ursache, A., Greenberg, M., Vernon-Feagans, L., & The Family Life Project Investigators. (2015). Multiple Aspects of Self-Regulation Uniquely Predict Mathematics but Not Letter–Word Knowledge in the Early Elementary Grades. Developmental Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5264531/

q3 · i? · associational · r3

Model B growth model adding receptive vocabulary and processing speed measured at prekindergarten. The executive function effect on math growth was "reduced completely"; no effect size printed for the null slope effect.

"Effects on the slope were reduced completely for executive function and for directly assessed effortful control."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The interaction of cortisol and alpha amylase at 48 months is unrelated to math and reading ability at prekindergarten and to growth — related
• The Chicago School Readiness Project, a classroom-based RCT, improved low-income children's executive function and academic skills with effect sizes of 0.34 to 0.63 — related
• Directly assessed effortful control at 48 months predicts prekindergarten math but not reading, and not growth in either — related
• Combined teacher and parent report of effortful control predicts both prekindergarten math level and growth, persisting through the most stringent model — related
• Effortful control predicts social functioning, which predicts achievement, controlling for SES, age, and sex — related
• Executive function at 48 months moderates the preschool-to-kindergarten development of math ability on the ECLS-K Math battery but not the Applied Problems subtest — related
• African American children show lower prekindergarten math but faster math growth, and higher prekindergarten letter–word knowledge with slower growth after covariate adjustment — related
• Self-regulation effects on letter–word reading are reduced completely after cognitive covariate controls — related
• Preschool executive function positively predicts kindergarten math on both measures, while teacher–child relationship quality shows only a trend-level main effect on ECLS-K Math and none on Applied Problems — related
• Preschool math ability significantly predicts kindergarten math ability on both the ECLS-K Math battery and the Applied Problems subtest — related
• Children's inhibitory control is positively related to math achievement as a main effect, independent of parental input — a narrower finding that bears on this claim