Exploring how Socio-Economic Status, Parental Attitudes, and Activities During COVID-19 Lockdown Affect Early Executive Functions

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

Executive Functions (EFs) are the skills that enable us to resist acting on impulse, adjust our actions during a changing situation, and work towards goals. Early EFs have strong links to children’s language, social and academic functioning, and can predict later educational outcomes (Cortés Pascual, Moyano Muñoz, & Quílez Robres, 2019; Diamond, 2013; Hendry, Jones, & Charman, 2016). If spotted early, EF difficulties may be rectified through interventions (Scionti, Cavallero, Zogmaister, & Marzocchi, 2020). However, to target and refine such interventions we need to understand the factors associated with optimum EF development, and how these factors are affected by socio-economic inequities.

In this online study of 591 UK-based 7- to 36-month-olds, we consider how parental attitudes, enriching activities, and infant screen use, before and during the UK Spring 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown, relate to children’s emerging EF skills. We also consider how these factors are impacted by socio-economic inequities. Parental attitudes are measured with the Affection and Attachment scale of the Early Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (EPAQ) (Hembacher & Frank, 2020); Cronbach’s alpha =.616. Enriching Activities and Infant Screen Use are reported by parents using a novel scale; Cronbach’s alpha =.706 and .648 respectively. Early EFs are measured with the Cognitive EF (CEF) composite and Regulation scales of the Early Executive Functions Questionnaire (Hendry & Holmboe, 2020); Cronbach’s alpha = .845 and .887 respectively.

Multiple Linear Regression analyses controlling for childcare show that infants whose parents strongly endorse attitudes associated with warm parenting have higher CEF (Beta = .180, p<.001) and Regulation scores (Beta = .182, p<.001). The extent to which parents engage with their infant in enriching activities is positively associated with CEF (Beta = .218, p<.001) but not with Regulation (Beta = -.002, p<.001). High levels of infant screen use are associated with lower CEF (Beta = -.115, p<.05) and lower Regulation (Beta = -.153, p<.01).

Pearson correlations show that children of parents with lower Socio-Economic Status (SES; lower education, occupational status, income and/or living in deprived areas) spent more time engaged with screens, before (r=-.281, p<.001) and during (r=-.247, p=.001) Lockdown. Parents with lower SES were less likely to engage in enriching activities with their child during Lockdown (r=.116, p<.05) but not before (r=.027, p>.05). SES-Enriching Activities associations were particularly strong for activities requiring outdoor space, and access to books. Even after controlling for childcare, SES is positively associated with CEF (Beta = .120, p<.05) and Regulation (Beta = .135, p<.01) scores.

Our results demonstrate that parenting attitudes and activities are influential for early EF development. Moreover, we show that children from families with low SES do not have access to the same opportunities for development as their more well-off peers and that these disadvantages were exacerbated by the UK Spring 2020 Lockdown. This information will be useful in targeting and refining interventions to mitigate some of the impacts of socio-economic inequities on infant development, and in identifying strategies to mitigate risks for early cognitive development in the event of future lockdowns.

Authors

• Alexandra Hendry, University of Oxford
  Presenting Author

• Shannon Gibson, Oxford Brookes University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Catherine Davies, University of Leeds
  Non-Presenting Author

• Teodora Gliga, University Of East Anglia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michelle McGillon, University of Warwick
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nayeli Gonzalez-Gomez, Oxford Brookes University
  Non-Presenting Author