学前儿童执行功能与问题行为的关系:情境和性别的特异性

The Relationships between Executive Functions and Problem Behavior: Situational Specificity and Gender Differences

运用追踪设计检验了学前儿童执行功能特定成分和问题行为跨情境和性别的关系。选取101名学前儿童(48名男孩)为研究对象,采用实验任务测量儿童的执行功能,一年后采用母亲和教师报告分别收集儿童在家庭和学校情境的问题行为。结果发现,控制儿童年龄后:(1)在男孩中,抑制控制、认知灵活性和工作记忆负向预测一年后家庭情境的外化问题,认知灵活性负向预测一年后学校情境的外化问题,抑制控制正向预测一年后学校情境的内化问题;(2)在女孩中,执行功能三个成分均不能显著预测家庭情境的问题行为,认知灵活性正向预测一年后学校情境的外化问题。执行功能三个成分与问题行为间存在不同效应模式,且存在跨情境和性别的特异性。

This study examined the relationships between the specific components of executive function(EF) and problem behavior across different genders and contexts. Executive functions of 101 preschool children(48 boys) were measured by cognitive experimental tasks. One year later, boys’ and girls’ internalizing and externalizing behavior in home-and school-settings were measured by mother’s reports and teachers’ assessments. The results showed that boys’ inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory negatively predicted their externalizing behavior in home-context;their cognitive flexibility negatively predicted externalizing behavior in school-context. Boys’ inhibition positively predicted their internalizing behavior only in school-context. For girls, their cognitive flexibility positively predicted externalizing behavior only in school-context. No relationship was found among the girls between EFs and problem behavior in home-context. These findings suggested that the relationships between executive functions and problem behavior showed not only different patterns, but also situational specificity and gender differences.