Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS) is a rare genetic disorder presenting physical abnormalities and cognitive developmental challenges. Research into cognitive and developmental aspects of CSS could shed...Show moreCoffin-Siris syndrome (CSS) is a rare genetic disorder presenting physical abnormalities and cognitive developmental challenges. Research into cognitive and developmental aspects of CSS could shed light on the development of emotional and behavioural problems which could contribute to early detection and preventive measures. This study investigates core executive functions (Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Functions) and emotional and behavioural problems (Child Behavioural Checklist) in 15 CSS children aged 3-18 years. Core executive functions are compared between 12 children with CSS children and 26 TD children matched on mental age. Additionally, this study delves into the relationship between core executive functions and emotional and behavioural problems. Children with CSS exhibited attention deficit/hyperactivity, anxiety and oppositional defiant problems. The majority of children with CSS also exhibited problems in cognitive flexibility and working memory. However, inhibition problems were in line with TD children. Children with CSS displayed equal levels of inhibition and working memory problems compared to their peers with a similar developmental level but showed increased levels of cognitive flexibility problems. Findings suggest that there is no correlation between total executive functioning and emotional and behavioural problems in children with CSS. However, a relationship was found between inhibition and overall emotional and behavioural problems, and specifically attention deficit/hyperactivity. Additional investigations are necessary to conduct comprehensive assessments of executive functions in children with CSS, particularly considering their intellectual development. Additionally, recommendations for future research are provided to further explore the connection between executive functions and emotional and behavioural problems in children with CSS. These findings provide first insight into executive functions in children with CSS and their relationship with emotional and behavioural problems. These findings may aid the development of tailored interventions aimed at improving adaptive functioning, reduce emotional and behavioural problems, and enhance quality of life.Show less
Well-developed executive functions (EF) are important for a proper development of children. Verbal working memory and cognitive flexibility are used on daily basis in social situations, by...Show moreWell-developed executive functions (EF) are important for a proper development of children. Verbal working memory and cognitive flexibility are used on daily basis in social situations, by processing complex cognitive information and in understanding language. Children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in these EF, which could explain the symptoms of their ASD, such as restricted and repetitive behaviors and difficulties in social interaction and communication. Girls show their ASD symptoms differently than boys, which could partly mean that their EF work differently. This cross-sectional study researched the relationship between verbal working memory and cognitive flexibility on the one hand and ASD symptoms on the other hand. Furthermore, it has been researched whether EF mediate the relationship between gender and ASD symptoms. In this study 38 children and adolescents, 20 boys and 18 girls, between 6 and 16 years took part. The sample contained 6 children with a DSM classification of ASD. To measure the cognitive flexibility, verbal working memory and ASD symptoms, the following instruments were used respectively: Trail Making Test, Digit Span Test and the Social Responsiveness Scale. None of the results were significant, which indicates that in this study verbal working memory and cognitive flexibility had no relationship with ASD symptoms. In addition, the mediations were also non-significant, which suggests that in this study boys and girls show comparable ASD symptoms as well as similar skills in verbal working memory and cognitive flexibility. Practically that would mean that the support boys and girls need for their EF deficits and ASD, should be similar as well. However, the results should be considered with the limitations of this study. This study contributes to the first steps into understanding and supporting girls with ASD better.Show less
Adolescence is a peak age of onset for many psychiatric disorders and a period for development of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Previous cross-sectional studies imply a relationship...Show moreAdolescence is a peak age of onset for many psychiatric disorders and a period for development of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Previous cross-sectional studies imply a relationship between executive function and problem behaviour. However, to understand these relationships and how they develop, more evidence is required and prospective designs are essential. Current prospective study explored the relationships between age, sex, executive function and problem behaviour. In addition, it studied whether executive functions (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory and planning and organizing) predict problem behaviour. A community sample of 175 adolescents between 8-16 years old underwent an MRI scan three times, with a two-year interval. Problem behaviour was measured by the Dutch translated version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) (Verhulst et al., 1996) and the executive functions were measured by the Dutch translated parent-report version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) (Smidts & Huizinga, 2009). Pearson correlations, Analyses Of Variance (ANOVA), Independent-samples T-tests and Multiple Regression Analyses were performed. The analyses showed strong associations between cognitive flexibility and internalizing problem behaviour, and between inhibition and externalizing problem behaviour. In addition, when comparing sex difference, a significant difference was found between sex and internalizing problem behaviour, and between sex and planning and organizing. Other sex differences were not found. Results from this study suggest that there is an association between poorer executive function skills and the severity of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviour. Our findings also suggest a relationship between sex and internalizing problem behaviour, and between sex and planning and organizing. Effective interventions could be developed in the future to enhance executive functions and decrease the development of clinical problems.Show less
Life History Theory is an evolutionary theory claiming that early life circumstances help us develop abilities and behaviors beneficial to those specific conditions. This study aimed to investigate...Show moreLife History Theory is an evolutionary theory claiming that early life circumstances help us develop abilities and behaviors beneficial to those specific conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of childhood poverty on cognitive abilities such as switching and visuospatial memory in current financially difficult situations. We hypothesized that people who grew up poor would score better on a task measuring switching and visuospatial memory, but only in current financially difficult situations. Conversely, their counterparts in the low financial difficulty situations would underperform due to the dissimilarity of the circumstances the cognitive abilities adapted to in childhood. Our results provided support for the hypothesis as participants who grew up poor performed better at switching and visuospatial memory in current financially difficult situations compared to their peers in the low difficulty situation. These findings indicate that difficult circumstances in childhood could improve cognitive abilities needed to persist in those circumstances.Show less
Objective: Patients with psychiatric disorders often experience problems with executive functioning, including cognitive flexibility, planning, and working memory. Prior results on healthy subjects...Show moreObjective: Patients with psychiatric disorders often experience problems with executive functioning, including cognitive flexibility, planning, and working memory. Prior results on healthy subjects suggest that a low Socio-Economic Status (SES) might be related to such problems. However, little research has been done regarding the relationship between deficits in executive functioning and SES within psychiatric populations. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the possible relationships between the SES and three executive functions in patients with psychiatric disorders using a transdiagnostic approach. We also tentatively explored the relationship between SES and executive functions as a function of the different diagnostic groups to evaluate whether this relationship itself is transdiagnostic. Method: A total of 298 patients diagnosed with different psychiatric disorders were included in this study: schizophrenia and psychosis (103), major depressive disorders (100), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (95). The participants’ cognitive flexibility, planning, and working memory was evaluated using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). The area-level SES (an index for SES) data were obtained from the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP). Results: Area-level SES was significantly negatively related to cognitive flexibility (β = -.043, p = .007). However, area-level SES was not related to planning (p =.072) nor to working memory (p = .412). The relationship between area-level SES and executive functioning by diagnostic category was non-significant (p = .355). Conclusion: The results of the current study indicated that a high area-level SES was associated with a higher degree of cognitive flexibility. The study also suggests that the relationship between area-level SES and cognitive flexibility cuts across psychiatric disorders and could be considered as a transdiagnostic mechanism. Healthcare providers could use area-level SES to predict which patients might require extra attention regarding deficits in cognitive flexibility. This study can also function as a steppingstone for future research into the relationship between SES and executive functions in psychiatric populations as it provides insight into the pitfalls and possible remedies for applying aggregate (area-level) data at the individual level.Show less
Background: Several studies have shown that problems in the executive functions (EF) underlie social deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The 'Socio-cognitive integration of abilities model’...Show moreBackground: Several studies have shown that problems in the executive functions (EF) underlie social deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The 'Socio-cognitive integration of abilities model’ has shown that there is an interaction between cognitive functions and the factors which influence social behaviour. Aim: This research focuses on the predictive value of executive functions (inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory) and receptive language on the social behaviour of typically developing young children. Method: 38 children between 3 and 6 years (M = 4.2, SD = .99) of age participated in this study. In a quantitative study the results of the receptive language test and questionnaires about social deficits and executive functioning were analysed. The ‘Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III-NL’ was used to assess receptive language and parent-report questionnaire measures ‘Social Responsiveness Scale’ and ‘Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions Preschool version’ were used to assess social problems and executive functions, respectively. Results: This study shows that receptive language and executive functions (subtests: inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility) were related to social problems. Higher levels of problems in working memory and cognitive flexibility were associated with more social problems. However, higher levels of problems in inhibition were related to less social problems. Higher levels of receptive language were related to less social problems. Discussion: Results and suggestions for future research are discussed.Show less
Klinefelter Syndrome (KS; 47, XXY) is a sex chromosome aneuploidy that affects male physical, cognitive and psychological development. KS has been related to difficulties in social interactions and...Show moreKlinefelter Syndrome (KS; 47, XXY) is a sex chromosome aneuploidy that affects male physical, cognitive and psychological development. KS has been related to difficulties in social interactions and executive dysfunctions. This study investigates several executive functions (inhibition, cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory and sustained attention), social skills and the relationship between these two variables in men with KS. Eighteen men with KS and 29 controls between the age of 16 and 60 years old, participated in this study. Social skills were measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale rated by informants (SRS-A). Executive functions were assessed by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire and by tasks of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT) and by one task of the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS-NL). The clinical group rated poorer social skills than the controls. They also had weaker executive functions compared by controls (measured by the BRIEF). The ANT tasks revealed that from the executive functions, the Klinefelter group only had more difficulties in sustained attention compared by controls. Working memory was significantly (positively) correlated to social skills. The present findings suggest that KS is related to executive dysfunctions measured by the BRIEF and a weak working memory was related to poorer social skills. The results from this study provided insight in which cognitive structure is related to social skills in male with KS and could thereby contribute in the treatment and prevention of problems in social skills.Show less
Background: Previous studies showed that frontal lobes are affected with children having a Disruptive Behavior Disorder (DBD). The frontal lobes are related to the development of executive...Show moreBackground: Previous studies showed that frontal lobes are affected with children having a Disruptive Behavior Disorder (DBD). The frontal lobes are related to the development of executive functions (EF) and aggressive behavior. Goal: The main goal of this study is to obtain a better insight in the behavior of children with DBD by looking at the underlying mechanism of EF. A distinction has been made between reactive and proactive aggression. Method: This study has been taken amongst 70 boys between 8 and 12 years old. The boys were subdivided in a DBD group (N=41) and a control group (N=29). Aggression was measured by means of the IRPA parent-questionnaire. The EF have been measured by means of several ANT tasks and the BRIEF parent-questionnaire. Results: Boys with DBD scored worse on their EF compared to the control group. A positive correlation was found between BRIEF inhibition and reactive aggression for the DBD group. A positive correlation was also found for BRIEF cognitive flexibility and proactive aggression for the control group. Conclusion: This study shows that boys with DBD between 8 and 12 years old, have more deficits in EF than the control group. A positive correlation between reactive aggression and inhibition was found for the DBD group as well as a positive correlation between proactive aggression and cognitive flexibility for the control group.Show less
The relationship between executive functions and social skills is particularly studied in children who have already experienced problems in their executive functions caused by brain damage. This...Show moreThe relationship between executive functions and social skills is particularly studied in children who have already experienced problems in their executive functions caused by brain damage. This study examined the relationship between executive functions (working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibition) and social skills in typically developing children (N = 85) between 5 and 8 years. The main question was; are executive functions a predictor for social skills in typically developing children from 5 to 8 years old? The hypothesis was; executive functions are a predictor for social skills. Questionnaires were used to measure executive functions and social skills, respectively by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS). Executive functions were also determined with the aid of a computer task, the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT). Pearson’s correlations and multiple regressions were used to analyze the relationship between executive functions and social skills. There were significant negative correlations with a small to modest effect size ( r = -.26, -36, -.42, p < .05) between all executive functions (BRIEF) and social skills. More problems in the executive functions (BRIEF) correlated with lower scores on social skills. There was only one significant positive correlation with small effect size ( r = .23, p < .05) between working memory (ANT) and social skills. Regression analyses revealed that from all three executive functions, only cognitive flexibility (BRIEF) (β = -‐.39, p < .001) is a predictor for social skills. To conclude, no relationship was found between executive functions and social skills, except for cognitive flexibility. Future research should focus on interventions that improve the cognitive flexibility in children and its relationship with social skills.Show less
This research focused on the relationship between risk variations of dopamine genes as well as the serotonin gene and executive functions. To conduct a series of meta analyses, several electronic...Show moreThis research focused on the relationship between risk variations of dopamine genes as well as the serotonin gene and executive functions. To conduct a series of meta analyses, several electronic databases concerning these genes were consulted. The analyses encompass the following dopamine genes: COMT, DRD4, DRD2, DAT1 and MAOA. It also encompasses the serotonin gene 5-HTTLPR. The executive functions that will be discussed are inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory, planning, and attention. All studies were encoded independently by two coders. The variables are age, sample sizes, DNA deduction, category of the construct’s result (which is part of the executive functions), measuring methods, and the genes with the accompanying polymorphisms. The genes COMT and DRD4 showed relationships between the risk variations of these genes and the executive functions. People with the risk variation of the COMT and the DRD4 genes performed less well when it came to the executive functions, compared to people who did not have this variation. In addition to this, age is a moderator in the relationship between polymorphisms of the COMT gene and the executive functions. The difference between the Met-Met variant and the Val-Val variant of the COMT gene was larger when it came to the executive functions concerning people of twenty-one years old and older; the difference is smaller for people younger than twenty-one. The genes DRD2, DAT1, MAOA and 5-HTTLPR did not show any relationship between the risk variations of these genes and executive functions. Heterogeneity and publication bias could have restrained the relationships between dopamine genes and the executive functions. Throughout this research the perspective of the theory of differential susceptibility will be maintained. Also, this research will illustrate how the results are contributing to science, and how they are useful in practice.Show less
Introduction: Research on the development of executive functions (EF) in children can focus on multiple facets, but can also focus on a specific part such as planning, working memory and inhibition...Show moreIntroduction: Research on the development of executive functions (EF) in children can focus on multiple facets, but can also focus on a specific part such as planning, working memory and inhibition. The various executive functions can be distinguished clearly from each other, but cannot be seen independently. There is no clear data on the differences in the development of EF between boys and girls in their childhood. The present study focuses on the development of the executive functions planning, inhibition and working memory in boys and girls aged four to seven years over a period of one year. Methods: This study consisted of 462 children of the data from the ongoing study ‘Talentenkracht’. The data was collected between January to April 2009 (T1) and between January to May 2010 (T2). In this study, the executive functions planning (subtest "zoo map" of the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for Children (BADS-NL)), inhibition (subtest GoNoGo of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT)) and working memory (subtest Spatial Temporal Sequencing (STS) on the ANT) were investigated. Using paired-samples T-tests and univariate analyses of variance, the relation and development of the three executive functions, gender and age have been studied. Results: This study involved 247 boys (53.5%) and 215 girls (46.5%). The mean age (M) at T1 was 5.2 years and at T2 6.2 years. The mean outcome on T1 for planning was -1.45, inhibition 34.4 and working memory 12.0. This was at T2 -1.03, 28.4 and 22.4, respectively. For boys and girls, there was a significant difference in mean outcomes between T1 and T2 for inhibition and working memory. The development of inhibition has a significant relationship with gender at T1 and T2. Both measurements remained significantly different after adjustment for age. In the development of the working memory, there is both a significant relationship with age at T1 as well as at T2. Conclusions: The present study showed differences in the development of the executive functions planning, inhibition and working memory in boys and girls aged four to seven years. Apart from the expected (natural) development of the EF over a period of 11.3 months average, gender was also a profound influence on inhibition. As for planning, no significant results did occur. In the development of the EF memory, time is more indicative than gender.Show less
There is limited knowledge about the specific role of cognitive functions in the compliance of toddlers. The aim of this study was to provide an insight in the relation between compliance of...Show moreThere is limited knowledge about the specific role of cognitive functions in the compliance of toddlers. The aim of this study was to provide an insight in the relation between compliance of toddlers and their cognitive functions. The relationships between emotion recognition, executive functioning and compliance were measured in a population-based cohort study (n =280). Compliance was assessed with the ´don’t task´ when the toddlers were 36 months old. The behavior was coded using a system that differentiated between six dimensions. Emotion recognition was assessed at 36 months in a computerized emotion-labeling task. At 48 months the executive functioning of the toddlers was assessed by using the specific version of the ‘Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-P)’ for children between 3 and 5 years old. Parents have completed this questionnaire. It was expected that both emotion recognition and executive functioning were related to compliance. It was also hypothesized that emotion recognition moderated the relation between compliance and executive functioning. There was no significant relation between compliance and emotion recognition. In addition, there was no difference in the accuracy of recognition of positive and negative emotions. There was a significant relation between compliance and executive functioning. Not all subscales of executive functioning were related to compliance. The only subscales related to compliance were inhibition, working memory and planning and organization. Emotion recognition did not moderate the relationship between executive functioning and compliance. The findings of this study suggest that there are certain cognitive functions of toddlers that are related to their compliance. Future research should also focus on other cognitive functions, for example on ‘Theory of Mind’. In addition, there should be more research to validate the results of this study.Show less
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
Executive functions are a group of neurocognitive functions that direct cognitive, emotional and social behaviour, to enable an adequate reply to a new situation. The rapid development of executive...Show moreExecutive functions are a group of neurocognitive functions that direct cognitive, emotional and social behaviour, to enable an adequate reply to a new situation. The rapid development of executive functions in pre-schoolers (three to five year olds) assume a certain vulnerability to influences from the environment. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of social economic status (SES), family structure and child day-care on executive functioning of four- and five-year old children. Parents or caretakers filled in two questionnaires about their own children: one was about demographic features, the other was the standard BRIEF-Preschool Version. Analyses were performed on a sample of 497 four- and five year olds. As we hypothesised, a negative effect was visible of low SES and a divorced family structure on executive functioning. Child day-care seemed to compensate for children whose parents are divorced. Moreover, for children who lived in a family structure where one biological parent found a new partner, day-care seemed to have a further negative effect on executive functioning. Furthermore, this study confirmed the unidimensional, general model for executive functioning for pre-schoolers previously proposed by Wiebe and colleagues (2008) and Wagner-Fuhs & Days (2010). Although the effects were small and the study sample was not statistically representative for the Dutch population, we were able to replicate results from previous research. Environmental factors such as a low SES and a divorced family have a negative effect on executive functioning of four- and 5-year olds. This could be important information for mental health care as well as policy decisions, and could steer new possibilities for intervention.Show less
ABSTRACT This thesis examined the possibility of a relationship between exploratory behaviour and executive functions (i.e. cognitive development) in 137 children (76 boys and 61 girls (Mpre = 5.3...Show moreABSTRACT This thesis examined the possibility of a relationship between exploratory behaviour and executive functions (i.e. cognitive development) in 137 children (76 boys and 61 girls (Mpre = 5.3 years; SD = .6; Mpost = 6.3 years; SD = .6)). Additionally, the effect of an intervention, aimed at improving children’s executive functioning, on their exploratory behaviour was examined using a pretest posttest intervention design. This question was tested on a sample of 247 children containing 137 boys and 110 girls (Mpre = 5.3 years; SD = .6; Mpost = 6.3 years; SD = .6). Parents were randomly assigned to the intervention- or control group. Parents of forty children were trained on how to stimulate their children’s social- and cognitive functioning, with a major focus on executive functioning, and parents of 207 children were not. Executive functions are known to be trainable and believed to be related to the development of exploratory behaviour. Playhouse, a newly developed task, assesses the quality of exploration. The executive functions; inhibition, working memory and attention, were measured with the Amsterdam Psychological Tasks. The results suggest that a relationship between children’s executive functioning and their quality of exploratory behaviour exists. However, these relationships had a small effect. Additionally, it was found that children’s executive functioning and quality of exploratory behaviour depend on their age. However, it remains unclear whether the improved executive functions with increasing age affect the increasing quality of exploratory behaviour with increasing age. Furthermore, the results in this study suggest that training parents to stimulate their children’s social- and cognitive functioning, with a major focus on executive functioning does not affect their quality of exploratory behaviour. Further research in this area is necessary in order to get a more accurate understanding of the relationship between children’s executive functioning and their explorative behaviour, and the psychometric properties of Playhouse.Show less
There is an increasing amount of research stressing the importance of executive functions in learning during childhood. This study examined i) the relation between executive functioning (working...Show moreThere is an increasing amount of research stressing the importance of executive functions in learning during childhood. This study examined i) the relation between executive functioning (working memory, inhibition problems and dysexecutive behaviour) and the development of receptive and expressive language skills and ii) whether executive functioning predicts the development of language skills. This longitudinal study tested 207 children aged between 4 to 8 years in 2009 (M age =5.28) and again in 2010 (M age =6.42) using a battery of cognitive measures and parent ratings of dysexecutive behaviour of their child. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that working memory was related to both expressive and receptive language, but only predicted the level of receptive language. Inhibition problems were only related to and a predictor of expressive language. Dysexecutive behaviour was not related to language. Implications of the findings for education are discussed.Show less
This study investigated the influence of Executive functions, Social competence and Language on Reactive and Proactive Aggression. Additionally the effectiveness of the intervention ‘Minder Boos en...Show moreThis study investigated the influence of Executive functions, Social competence and Language on Reactive and Proactive Aggression. Additionally the effectiveness of the intervention ‘Minder Boos en Opstandig (MBO)’ was studied regarding changes in behaviour and cognitive functions. In the current study ‘aggression’ is divided in two subtypes: reactive en proactive aggression. The sample contained 22 children aged between 8 and 12 years (M = 10.2, SD = 1.03). Boys were in majority with 86% in this sample. The study had a pre- and post-test design. Parents participated as informants. The children filled out the Reactive and Proactive aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) and underwent language assessments through the PPVT and WFT. The parents filled in the Pragmatic questionnaire (CELF-4-NL ), the Executive functions Questionnaire (BRIEF), the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Significant correlations were observed between reactive and proactive aggression and social and language skills during the pre-test assessment, indicating poorer skills among those with higher aggression. Executive functions correlated significantly with Externalising and Internalising behaviour problems, but not separately with reactive and proactive aggression. After participation in the MBO training a decrease of the correlations and strengths of relations was found between aggression, behaviour problems and the cognitive domains. Problems with Language ‘pragmatic’ and Social Skills were still strong significant predictors of reactive and proactive aggression. Executive functions did not significantly predict reactive and proactive aggression. Social skills did not improve after participation at the MBO training. The children did however show a significant decrease of reactive and proactive aggression problems after participation in the MBO training. Improvement in behaviour did not significantly go together with improvement in cognitive and social skillsShow less
Executive functions are critical for adequate social functioning which is mediated by social skills. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between executive functions and social skills...Show moreExecutive functions are critical for adequate social functioning which is mediated by social skills. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between executive functions and social skills of young children because associations between these domains have only rarely been examined. The research group consisted of 109 boys and 98 girls from primary schools with an average age between 4-7 years in 2009 and 5-9 years during the follow-up study in 2010. These children completed measurements of the Social Skills Rating Scale, the Dysexecutive Questionnaire for Children, the Zoo Map task, the Spatial Temporal Span task, the Go No Go task and the Response Organization Objects task. Results indicate that executive dysfunction in daily life is negatively correlated to social skills of boys and girls. For boys there also exists a positive correlation between working memory in 2009 and social skills in 2010. Based on the findings of this study it is concluded that executive dysfunction in daily life is a negative predictor for social skills of boys and girls.Show less
