Blakey, E;
Matthews, D;
Cragg, L;
Buck, J;
Cameron, D;
Higgins, B;
Pepper, L;
... Carroll, DJ; + view all
(2020)
The Role of Executive Functions in Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Child Development
, 91
(5)
pp. 1594-1614.
10.1111/cdev.13358.
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Abstract
The socioeconomic attainment gap in mathematics starts early and increases over time. This study aimed to examine why this gap exists. Four‐year‐olds from diverse backgrounds were randomly allocated to a brief intervention designed to improve executive functions (N = 87) or to an active control group (N = 88). The study was preregistered and followed CONSORT guidelines. Executive functions and mathematical skills were measured at baseline, 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year posttraining. Executive functions mediated the relation between socioeconomic status and mathematical skills. Children improved over training, but this did not transfer to untrained executive functions or mathematics. Executive functions may explain socioeconomic attainment gaps, but cognitive training directly targeting executive functions is not an effective way to narrow this gap.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Role of Executive Functions in Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1111/cdev.13358 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13358 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10104362 |
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