Executive Functioning Deficits Increase Kindergarten Children's Risk for Reading and Mathematics Difficulties in First Grade

• In Event: Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: Early Experiences

Abstract

Whether executive functioning deficits result in children experiencing learning difficulties is presently unclear. Yet preliminary evidence of this causal relation has many implications for early intervention design and delivery. We used a multi-year panel design, multiple independent and dependent measures, and extensive statistical control for potential confounds including autoregressive prior histories of both reading and mathematics difficulties to establish whether and to what extent executive functioning deficits uniquely predicted children’s risk for either type of learning difficulties. Results indicated that kindergarten children with working memory and, separately, cognitive flexibility deficits were at increased risk of experiencing learning difficulties in reading and mathematics by the end of first grade. The risks associated with working memory deficits were particularly strong.

Authors

• Paul L. Morgan, The Pennsylvania State University

• Hui Li, The Pennsylvania State University

• Michael Cook, The Pennsylvania State University

• Wik Hung Pun, The Pennsylvania State University

• George Farkas, University of California - Irvine

• Marianne Hillemeier, The Pennsylvania State University