Training executive function in preschoolers reduce externalizing behaviors

Abstract

Abstract In this research we want to observe, in preschool children, and with an experimental design, whether a cognitive intervention aiming at enhancing inhibition capacities would have an impact not only on executive functions but also lead to behavioral changes with a decrease in external behavioral problems (EB). Forty-seven normally developed preschoolers (mean age of 60 months) took part in a pretest assessing executive function (EF) capacities (attention, motor and cognitive inhibition, flexibility and working memory) and behavior (questionnaires and an observational paradigm for externalizing behaviors). Children were then randomly allocated to either a control ( n =23) or an experimental group ( n =24). Both groups participated in 2 45-min sessions per week for 8 weeks. Children from the control group took part in handicraft sessions and children from the experimental group received inhibition-training sessions. The latter consisted of a series of games/exercises aimed at increasing the different components of inhibition functions (interrupt an ongoing response, impulsivity management, inhibition of a predominant response, inhibition of external distractors) and involving the use of fictional characters aimed at improving the child’s metacognition relative to those functions. At the end of the intervention, every child from each group took part in the post-test. We observed significant differences between control and experimental groups, with the latter group performing better on inhibition, attention and working memory measures. More importantly, differences were also measured on behavioral measures of inattention, and on negative reaction in an observational paradigm. We thus show that it is possible to enhance EF capacities in preschoolers and that this has an impact on EB.