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

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.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1

Percent of children assigned to each risk profile by site-race group

Figure 2

Standardized estimates for path model with 7-month maternal positive engagement and negative intrusiveness as mediators of the association between risk profiles & 36-month EF skills in the PA/NC white sample. Bolded paths represent associations that were significantly mediated, and numbers in parentheses represent standardized estimates for when the mediators were not in the model.

Figure 3

Standardized estimates for path model with 7-month maternal positive engagement and negative intrusiveness as mediators of the association between risk profiles & 36-month EF skills in the NC African American sample. Bolded paths represent associations that were significantly mediated, and numbers in parentheses represent standardized estimates for when the mediators were not in the model.