This study examined the influence of attention on executive functioning in 471 children from four to seven years of age. Computer based tasks (Amsterdamse Neuropsychologische Taken) were used to...Show moreThis study examined the influence of attention on executive functioning in 471 children from four to seven years of age. Computer based tasks (Amsterdamse Neuropsychologische Taken) were used to assess their level of attention. A questionnaire on dysexecutive functioning in children (DEX-K) was filled out by their parents to asses problems in executive functioning. T- tests and ANOVAs showed significant age- and gender differences in executive functioning and attention. Boys showed more problems in executive functioning, had faster reaction times, where girls performed better on a sustained attention task. A significant age effect was found for two ANT tasks. Older children had a significantly faster reaction time and better sustained attention compared to younger children. Multiple regression analysis indicated that gender, age and performance on attention tasks, especially reaction time, predicted problems in executive functioning. This relation was not moderated by gender or age. The results of the study confirm some previous research findings. Further investigation will tell the extent to which attention and executive functioning of young children can be measured adequately through behavioral reviews and neuropsychological research.Show less
Background: Existing research has shown that emotion recognition and social cognition develop with increasing age. In previously conducted studies mixed results are found on the influence of gender...Show moreBackground: Existing research has shown that emotion recognition and social cognition develop with increasing age. In previously conducted studies mixed results are found on the influence of gender regarding emotion recognition and social cognition. Research has also shown that the development of social cognition improves when there is an older sibling present as well as the fact that language plays an important role in the development of social cognition. Method: This thesis investigates the relation between individual differences in both social cognition and emotion recognition in children between four and seven years of age. Children (N =473) from 32 different schools throughout The Netherlands participated in this study. Across two sessions, children were given both computer tasks as well as paper and pencil tasks. Social cognition is measured by the Social Cognitive Skills Test whereas emotion recognition is measured by the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasksprogramme - Identification of Facial Emotion. The tests were conducted by trained students from Leiden University. Results: Older children had a higher level of social cognition and better emotion recognition, however gender did not have a significant influence on those skills. Both expressive and receptive language skills were positively related to social cognition. The ability to recognize facial expressions was better for children with better receptive language skills, ands slightly better for girls and older children. Neither the fact that a child had siblings nor birth order had a significant relationship with emotion recognition or social cognition. Conclusion: These findings suggest that language, age and gender might be important factors in the development of both social cognition and emotion recognition in young children and it is recommended that in case of developmental delays in social cognition or emotion recognition, attention should be paid to language development.Show less
