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Working Memory, Attention, Inhibition, and Their Relation to Adaptive Functioning and Behavioral/Emotional Symptoms in School-Aged Children

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Abstract

The present study investigated the development of executive functions (EFs) and their associations with performance and behavior at school in 8–12-year-old children. The EFs were measured by computer-based n-back, Continuous Performance and Go/Nogo tasks. School performance was evaluated by Teacher Report Form (TRF) and behavior by TRF and Child Behavior Checklist. The studied dimensions of EF were cognitive efficiency/speed, working memory/attention and inhibitory control. Strong age effects were found for these cognitive abilities (p values <0.01). Inhibitory control was associated with better adaptive functioning (learning, working hard and behaving well), academic performance and less psychiatric symptoms (p values <0.05), specially in 8–9-year-old children. In this youngest age group low inhibitory control was also associated with teacher-reported inattention (p = 0.042). Low inhibitory control was associated with teacher- and parent-reported internalizing symptoms (p < 0.01). These results suggest that maturational factors may underlie low adaptive functioning and psychiatric symptoms during early school years. Further studies are needed to evaluate the association between inhibition and emotional symptoms.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by grants from the Academy of Finland (National Center of Excellence Program), Helsinki University Research Funds, Helsinki University Central Hospital EVO-funds, Sigrid Juselius Foundation, Foundation for Pediatric Research, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Finnish Graduate School of Neuroscience, Finnish Cultural Foundation and aivoAALTO project of the Aalto University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Unit, Institute of Biomedicine/Physiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Virve Vuontela, Synnöve Carlson & Anna-Maria Troberg

  2. Department of Child Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Lastenlinnantie 2, 00250, Helsinki, Finland

    Anna-Maria Troberg, Tuija Fontell, Petteri Simola, Suvi Saarinen & Eeva T. Aronen

  3. Brain Research Unit, O.V. Lounasmaa Laboratory, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland

    Synnöve Carlson

  4. Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    Synnöve Carlson

  5. Department of Psychology, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland

    Petteri Simola

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  1. Virve Vuontela
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Correspondence to Virve Vuontela or Eeva T. Aronen.

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Vuontela, V., Carlson, S., Troberg, AM. et al. Working Memory, Attention, Inhibition, and Their Relation to Adaptive Functioning and Behavioral/Emotional Symptoms in School-Aged Children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 44, 105–122 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-012-0313-2

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