Fostering Executive-Function Skills and Promoting Far Transfer to Real-World Outcomes: The Importance of Life Skills and Civic Science

Abstract

Executive-function (EF) skills are a set of attention-regulation skills that provide a neurocognitive foundation for adapting to changing circumstances across the life span; EF skills measured in childhood are associated with important real-world outcomes (e.g., school and job success). Although training can improve EF skills, the benefits of training frequently fail to transfer to these outcomes. We argue that EF skills are associated with outcomes such as school success only to the extent that they first contribute to intermediate-level EF-based life skills that are more directly instrumental in achieving key outcomes. These intentional intermediate-level skills are configurations of specific EF skills and non-EF skills that are used when reasoning and solving problems in a variety of domains. We further argue that an effective way to bridge the gap between specific EF skills and real-world outcomes is by training these EF-based life skills that people need to function effectively in society. We propose that this can best be achieved using a civic-scientific approach, engaging citizens (e.g., children, youth, parents, teachers) in the design process from the beginning so that interventions are responsive to perceived needs and address perceived obstacles to success and sustainability.