Objective: The aim of the present study is to research the development of executive functions (EF) over a period of one year in children aged four to seven years old. This study focused on three...Show moreObjective: The aim of the present study is to research the development of executive functions (EF) over a period of one year in children aged four to seven years old. This study focused on three main questions: 1. How is the developmental course of EF over a period of one year?; 2. Are there geslacht differences in this development?; and 3. Does a parent intervention aimed at stimulating EF in children by their parents have an effect on the development of EF? Method: This study uses data from the Curious Mind Project of Leiden University. In 2009 and 2010 Master students administered various neuropsychological tests to elementary school children. The following EF were examined with the Amsterdam neuropsychological tasks (N = 107): alertness and basic attention, frustration, impulsiveness, sustained attention and working memory. Everyday EF was reported by the parents using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire for Children (DEX-C) (N = 240) and planning was assessed with the Behavioural Assesment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for Children (BADS-C Zoo) (N = 289). Data was analyzed using several repeated measures ANOVA’s. Results: Significant one-year developmental effects were found for basal attention and alertness, impulsiveness, sustained attention, working memory, as well as age effects for alertness and basic attention, planning and inhibition. There were no significant differences between boys and girls for the development of EF over a period of one year. The parent training, aimed at increasing knowledge among parents about EF and social cognitive functioning of their child and encouraging these aspects at home, appeared to have no significant effect on the development of EF. Conclusion: Significant increases in different aspects of EF were detected over a one-year period in four to seven year-old children. However, these changes were not caused by the intervention. It is important to further develop this intervention and to assess its effects on EF over a longer follow-up period.Show less
