Research on optimism has increased in the past years. Optimism is known to have a positive relationship with several health outcomes. Additionally, optimism has also been established as a predictor...Show moreResearch on optimism has increased in the past years. Optimism is known to have a positive relationship with several health outcomes. Additionally, optimism has also been established as a predictor of various mental and physical health outcomes. Whilst the relationship between optimism and executive functioning has been discussed, little is known about optimism as a predictor of success in executive functioning. In this study, data from 250 respondents was collected through online questionnaires to study whether optimism is a significant predictor of success in executive functioning in general, as well as in separate aspects of attention, self-control and self-monitoring, and planning. The measuring instruments that were used were the Life-Orientation Test-Revised for optimism and the Amsterdam Executive Function Inventory for executive functioning and its aspects. Four simple linear regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data. The results showed that optimism is a significant predictor of executive functioning in general (b = .22, p < .001), as well as of attention (b = .13, p < .001) and planning (b = .06, p < .05), but not of self-control and self-monitoring (p > .05). The main limitation in this study was that data were collected cross-sectionally instead of longitudinal. For self-control and self-monitoring, further research could be beneficial to understand what made this outcome differ from the others. These outcomes could be helpful to further investigate possible implications for the treatment of neuropsychological problems.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
