Abstract
Executive functioning (EF), an umbrella term used to represent cognitive skills engaged in goal-directed behaviors, has been found to be a unique predictor of mathematics performance. However, very few studies have examined how the three core EF subcomponents (inhibition, shifting, and working memory) predict the growth parameters (intercept and slope) in mathematics skills and even fewer studies have been conducted in a non-Western country. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine how inhibition, shifting, and working memory predict the growth parameters in arithmetic accuracy and fluency in a group of Chinese children (n = 179) followed from Grade 2 (mean age = 97.89 months) to Grade 5 (mean age = 133.43 months). In Grade 2, children were assessed on measures of nonverbal IQ, number sense, speed of processing, inhibition, shifting, and working memory. In addition, in Grades 2–5, they were assessed on arithmetic accuracy and fluency. Results of structural equation modeling showed that nonverbal IQ, speed of processing, and number sense predicted the intercept in arithmetic accuracy, while working memory was the only EF subcomponent to predict the slope (rate of growth) in arithmetic accuracy. In turn, number sense, speed of processing, inhibition, and shifting were significant predictors of the intercept in arithmetic fluency. None of the EF subcomponents predicted the slope in arithmetic fluency. Our findings reinforce those of previous studies in North America and Europe showing that EF contributes to mathematics performance over and above other key predictors of mathematics, and suggest that different EF subcomponents may predict different growth parameters in mathematics.
Highlights
Executive functioning (EF), an umbrella term used to represent cognitive skills engaged in goal-directed behaviors, such as inhibition, mental flexibility, and working memory (e.g., Chan et al, 2008; Best et al, 2009; Diamond, 2013), is important for behavioral regulation in classroom that enhances learning (e.g., Day et al, 2015), and for the development of specific cognitive skills that further support children’s academic performance (e.g., Fuhs et al, 2016)
The purpose of this study was to examine how the three core EF subcomponents predict the growth parameters of arithmetic accuracy and fluency in a group of Chinese children followed from Grade 2 to 5
Number sense, inhibition and shifting predicted the intercept of arithmetic fluency and accounted for 39.6% of the variance
Summary
Executive functioning (EF), an umbrella term used to represent cognitive skills engaged in goal-directed behaviors, such as inhibition, mental flexibility, and working memory (e.g., Chan et al, 2008; Best et al, 2009; Diamond, 2013), is important for behavioral regulation in classroom that enhances learning (e.g., Day et al, 2015), and for the development of specific cognitive skills that further support children’s academic performance (e.g., Fuhs et al, 2016). The purpose of this study was to examine how the three core EF subcomponents (inhibition, shifting, and working memory) predict the growth parameters of two different mathematics skills (arithmetic accuracy and fluency) in a sample of Chinese children followed from Grade 2–5. Working memory, defined as the ability of an individual to hold information in short-term memory (storage) while processing some other (processing), is needed when solving different mathematics problems [e.g., (3 + 5) ∗ 4 = ?] because individuals need to first hold part of the solution in their memory (e.g., the result of 3 + 5) before executing another operation (e.g., multiplying by 4)
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