Executive Function Training Improves Emotional Competence for Preschool Children: The Roles of Inhibition Control and Working Memory.

Quan Li,Ni Yan,Peiwei Liu,Tingyong Feng

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00347

Quan Li, Ni Yan + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00347

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Abstract

The study examined how executive function (EF) training could improve children’s emotional competence (EC). Children (N = 55; Mage = 50.64 months) were assigned into two groups, namely the EF training group and the no-training group. The present study attempted to use a 2 (group: EF training VS no-training) × 2 (test time: pretest VS post-test) between-and- within-subjects experimental design to investigate the effect of EF training on the improvement of EC for 4-year-old children. Results showed that, (1) children in EF training group had significantly higher scores on EC than that of no-training group; (2) The change of inhibition control and working memory could significantly predict their variation of EC. These results suggested that the improvement of EC caused by EF training could be linked to the ability of inhibition control and working memory.

Highlights

Emotional competence (EC) refers to the abilities of recognize, comprehend, express, and regulate emotions (Mirabile, 2009; Lahaye et al, 2011; Riquelme and Montero, 2013)
We got the score of emotional competence (EC) by calculating the summation of score of emotional recognition, emotional comprehension, emotional expression, and emotional regulation
In terms of preand-post-test differences, the results found that (a) executive function (EF) training group significantly improved the emotional competence (ECs) compared to those of in No-training group. (b) Children’s inhibition control and working memory significantly predicted the development of emotional competence

Summary

Introduction

Emotional competence (EC) refers to the abilities of recognize, comprehend, express, and regulate emotions (Mirabile, 2009; Lahaye et al, 2011; Riquelme and Montero, 2013). Emotional competence is developed throughout childhood (Liu and Chen, 2003; Pons et al, 2003). It has been shown that children’s emotional competence is associated with their executive function (EF) (Rhoades et al, 2009; Smith et al, 2014; Kwok et al, 2015; Lantrip et al, 2015; Healy et al, 2018). The causal relation between them is unclear due to the limited evidence from previous experimental studies. The study aimed to determine the extent to which EF training could improve children’s emotional competence

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