Exploring Cross-Cultural Variations in the Development of Executive Function for Preschoolers From Low and High Socioeconomic Families

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

International Journal of Behavioral Development

Volume

43

Issue

3

Publisher

Sage Publications Ltd.

Publication Date

7-13-2018

First Page

212

Last Page

220

Abstract

This study investigated cross-cultural variation in the development of executive functioning (EF) across the preschool period for United States and Chinese children from low and high socioeconomic families using a longitudinal design. Participants included 216 preschool children (n = 125 from the US; n = 91 from Shanghai and Jiangxi, China). On average, children were approximately 4 years old. In the US sample, 56% were female, and in the Chinese sample, 54% were female. Results from multi-level models varied slightly with regard to specific EF domains, but generally indicated that Chinese children experienced greater gains in EF during the preschool period compared to US children. Cross-cultural differences in EF growth did not vary by socioeconomic status. These findings highlight cultural variability in the development of EF and provide a foundation for additional research exploring factors that may help explain differential growth in EF for Chinese children compared to US children during the preschool period.

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