Poster #180 - Structured Sports Participation, Executive Function, and Early Math Skills in Preschoolers

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - School Readiness/Childcare

Integrative Statement

Introduction: Literature emphasizes the benefits of physical activity across the lifespan (Biddle & Ekkekakis, 2005; Fox, 1999) for cognitive outcomes (e.g., academic skills and executive function [EF]) in grade school, middle childhood, adolescence, and middle childhood (Castelli et al., 2007; Davis et al., 2011; Dwyer et al., 2001; Eveland-Sayers et al., 2009). Fewer studies have explored these associations in preschool children, and evidence is mixed. For example, in one study, moderate to rigorous physical activity was negatively related to EF in preschoolers (Willoughby et al., 2018). In another study, physical activity was positively associated with EF and math (Becker et al., 2014). One form of physical activity that may be positively associated with these outcomes is structured sport participation. There is evidence that sport participation is associated with academic performance in adulthood, adolescence, and middle-childhood (Becker et al., 2018; Nelson & Gordon-Larsen, 2006, Stegman & Stephens, 2000; Stephens & Schaben, 2002). To date, there have been no studies examining relations among sport participation, EF, and math in preschool. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore these connections.

Study Population: Data for this study come from a larger evaluation study of one state’s public prekindergarten program. Participants included 87 children and one of their parents. On average, children were nearly 5 years old at the beginning of the study, and 46% of the participants were female. On average, monthly family income was $1,695.

Methods: Children were assessed on measures of EF and math in fall (time 1) and spring (time 2) of preschool. The assessments included: Head Toes Knees Shoulders (HTKS) task (McClelland et al., 2014), Day/Night Stroop (DNS; Gerstadt et al., 1994), Applied Problems subtest of the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement -IV (Schrank et al., 2014), Preschool Early Numeracy Skills Screener-Brief Version (PENS-B; Purpura et al., 2015), and Mathematical Language Test (MLA; Purpura & Reid, 2016). Composite scores for EF (HTKS; DNS) and Math (WJ-IV, PENS-B, MLA) were created and used in analyses. Physical activity was assessed using parent report and was represented using a continuous variable developed from the following question: “On a typical weekday, how many minutes does your child exercise?” Sport participation was also gathered from parent responses to the following question adapted from a previous study (NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 2006); “During the past year, did your child participate in any children's sports or sports teams?”

Results: Linear regression analyses were conducted to test all hypotheses. Child age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, parent education, physical activity, and time 1 composite scores were included as covariates. Preliminary analyses revealed that sport participation was associated with EF (β = .39, p = .020), but was not associated with math.

Conclusions: This study contributes to emerging literature examining associations between physical activity, sport participation, and early learning skills by suggesting there may be an association between sport participation and EF. More research exploring the potential influences on school readiness are necessary in order to create interventions that bolster these abilities in early childhood.

Authors

• Lindsey Bryant, Purdue University
  Presenting Author

• Robert Duncan, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author

• David Purpura, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author

• James Elicker, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sara Schmitt, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author