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The Influence of Child Attachment Security, Household Chaos, and Dietary Consumption on Executive Function

Fri, April 9, 4:30 to 5:30pm EDT (4:30 to 5:30pm EDT), Virtual

Abstract

Introduction. Executive function (EF) encompasses an array of higher-order cognitive skills that have been associated with optimal functioning (Garon et al., 2008). Children’s EF unfolds over time and may be influenced by multiple factors, including caregiver-child relationships, household environments, and dietary consumption. For example, children with more secure attachment representations (Menon et al., 2020) and who eat more healthy foods instead of snack foods or processed meats may possess more optimal EF abilities (Cohen et al., 2016; Isaacs & Oates, 2008). Literature has also shown that higher household chaos is associated with lower EF skills such as limited ability to focus (Dumas et al., 2005; Pike et al., 2006), and may indirectly predict behavioral regulation for children and impact parenting behaviors (Vernon-Feagans et al., 2016). However, how these factors together affect children’s EF has been examined much less frequently. In this study, we tested two models examining influences on children’s EF: one that examined the relationship between observed attachment security and child EF, and the other that examined parent-reported dietary consumption and child EF. A second aim was to determine if household chaos moderated these relationships. We hypothesized that children with higher attachment security and more healthy dietary consumption would have higher EF scores. We also hypothesized that less household chaos might buffer children from the effects of less healthy dietary consumptions and fewer attachment security representations on EF.
Methods. The analysis sample consisted of 275 families participating in a larger birth cohort study of nutrition and child health. Home observations were conducted when children were 18-24 months (52% females) to assess child attachment security (van IJzendoorn et al., 2004). Caregivers completed the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ: Nutrition Quest, 2014) to evaluate children’s dietary consumption. PCA analyses were used to determine child dietary consumption through food groupings. The Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS; Matheny et al., 1995) assessed household chaos, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function®-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P; Gioia et al., 1996) was used to measure children’s EF levels. A single scale (the ability to inhibit and emotionally control) was used. Multiple regressions were used to test study hypotheses.
Results. Multiple regressions revealed that child attachment security (β = -0.23, p = 0.02) and household chaos (β = 0.45, p < 0.001) were uniquely associated with Inhibition and Emotional Control difficulties (Table 1). In the second model, unhealthy dietary consumption (β = 0.13, p = 0.02) and household chaos (β = 0.41, p < 0.001) were also associated with Inhibition and Emotional Control difficulties (Table 2). There were no significant interaction effects found.
Conclusion. These findings suggest that during early childhood, child attachment security, child dietary consumption, and household chaos may independently and uniquely impact children’s EF. Higher child attachment, less household chaos, and lower levels of unhealthy foods (e.g., savory snacks, refined carbohydrates, processed meats) may result in a better ability to inhibit and emotionally control within young children. Future longitudinal studies that include multi-method approaches are needed to shed light on these associations over time.

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