Self-regulation mediates the associations between demographic characteristics and Latino children's early achievement

Abstract

The study explored cognitive flexibility, working memory, and effortful control as mediating factors of the direct associations between children's primary home language and parental foreign-born status and early reading and mathematics trajectories. The study used data from the ECLS-K: 2011 and included Latino children only (age = 5.58; N = 4590). The structural equation modeling results indicate that Latino children whose primary home language is Spanish start kindergarten with lower scores in reading and mathematics compared to children who speak English or another language at home, while children with two-foreign born parents have a higher rate of growth through second grade compared to children with two U.S.-born parents. Working memory and effortful control partially accounted for differences in achievement trajectories through second grade related to children's primary home language and parental foreign-born status. Findings suggest a need for education programs that support Latino children's transition to school and foster self-regulatory skills.