Article

Demographic and familial predictors of early executive function development: contribution of a person-centered perspective.

Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology (impact factor: 3.12). 03/2011; 108(3):638-62. DOI:10.1016/j.jecp.2010.08.004 pp.638-62
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Executive function (EF) skills are integral components of young children's growing competence, but little is known about the role of early family context and experiences in their development. We examined how demographic and familial risks during infancy predicted EF competence at 36months of age in a large, predominantly low-income sample of nonurban families from Pennsylvania and North Carolina in the United States. Using latent class analysis, six ecological risk profiles best captured the diverse experiences of these families. Profiles with various combinations of family structure, income, and psychosocial risks were differentially related to EF. Much of the influence of early risks on later EF appears to be transmitted through quality of parent-child interactions during infancy. Findings suggest that early family environments may prove to be especially fruitful contexts for the promotion of EF development.

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Keywords

demographic
 
diverse experiences
 
ecological risk profiles
 
EF
 
EF competence
 
EF development
 
experiences
 
familial risks
 
family context
 
family environments
 
family structure
 
fruitful contexts
 
infancy
 
latent class analysis
 
North Carolina
 
parent-child interactions
 
Profiles
 
psychosocial risks
 
risks
 
United States