The role of executive functions in the comprehension of expository and narrative texts by high school students

Abstract

Introduction: Reading comprehension is a complex skill that involves several linguistic and cognitive processes. While the evidence indicates that expository texts are more difficult and cognitively demanding than narrative texts, the contribution of core executive functions to comprehension has seldom been compared between these genres, particularly in adolescents. The present study examined the association of executive functions with expository and narrative text comprehension in Argentinean high school students, while controlling for their verbal skills. Method: One hundred and twenty-one 12 to15-year-old high school students participated in our study (75.2% of them were girls). Participants completed pencil and paper tests in reading comprehension (TLC-II), vocabulary (BAIRES) and reading efficacy (TECLE), as well as computerised tests in shifting, inhibition and verbal and visuospatial working memory from the Cognitive Self-Regulation Test Battery (TAC). Results: We found lower comprehension scores in the expository text. Shifting and verbal working memory were predictors of reading comprehension beyond verbal skills, but we did not observe significant differences between text types. Comprehension in general was lower for third-year students. Conclusion: In accord with the literature, we observed greater difficulties for expository text comprehension, and a general contribution of shifting and working memory to both types of text. We found no conclusive evidence of differences in this association between text types. Third-year students’ comprehension might have been affected by the impact of the pandemic on their schooling trajectory.