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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Research shows that executive function and social–behavioral adjustment during the preschool years are both
associated with the successful acquisition of academic readiness abilities. However, studies bringing these constructs
together in one investigation are lacking. This study addresses this gap by testing the extent to which social
and behavioral adjustment mediated the association between executive function and academic readiness.
Sixty-nine 63–76month old children, enrolled in the last semester of the preschool year, participated in the present
study. Tasks were administered to measure executive function and preacademic abilities, and teachers rated
preschoolers' social–behavioral adjustment. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that social–behavioral adaptation
was a significant mediator of the effect of executive function on academic readiness, even after controlling
for maternal education and child verbal ability. These findings extend prior research and suggest that
executive function contributes to early academic achievement by influencing preschoolers' opportunities to be
engaged in optimal social learning activities.
Description
Keywords
Academic school readiness Executive function Social–behavioral Adjustment Preschool
Citation
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 46, 22-30. Doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2016.05.004
Publisher
Elsevier