Parent -child interaction in free play situation and preschool children performance on executive function tasks

DOI: 10.5176/2251-1865_CBP13.78

Authors: Ilona Krone

Abstract:

Executive function develops gradually, the most important period is between 3-5 years, with long time of development. Many authors have mentioned, that this long post-natal development provides opportunity for environmental input to impact the frontal brain systems and EF. The understanding of support mechanisms offered by the closest environment would enable creating preventive support of the EF. Sample included 40 monolingual children (M= 4.25; SD = 0.30) born at term without medical problems and their mothers.

The results showed that child’s verbal abilities significantly predicts executive function accounting for 27{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} of the variation but by adding mother’s ability to name the child in free play situation, the model accounts for 44{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465} of the executive function . The results also shows that in some EF process child verbal abilities play mediation role.

Keywords: executive function, parent - child interaction, preschool age children