TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of preschool-age executive functions
T2 - A systematic review
AU - Silva, Cristina
AU - Sousa-Gomes, Valéria
AU - Fávero, Marisalva
AU - Oliveira-Lopes, Susana
AU - Merendeiro, Cristiana S.
AU - Oliveira, Jorge
AU - Moreira, Diana
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PY - 2022/7/1
Y1 - 2022/7/1
N2 - Executive functions (EF) are higher-order cognitive processes present in the prefrontal cortex and are fundamental in planning, executing and monitoring goal-oriented behaviours. Evaluating EF in early stages of child development is essential for identifying any cognitive alterations in young children, given that it allows for early intervention and minimizes future complications. Additionally, it contributes to a better understanding of this construct in this age bracket, as well as its operational model. Study of EF has recently been the focus of multiple researchers; however, there is still a serious lack of instruments and measurements validated towards children's age bracket. This systematic review's main goal is to evaluate instruments and/or tasks that serve to evaluate and analyse EF and/or their components between the ages of 36 and 72 months. Forty-nine studies were analysed, containing multiple tasks and tools oriented towards EF and their constituent components. Results indicate the existence of various tasks that grade the different components independently from one another; nevertheless, they also confirm the lack of any global measurement instrument or method. Therefore, this systematic review presents itself as an important contribution in the study of EF, stressing not only the importance of further investing into constructing and validating new and better tools for evaluating the construct but also the study of operating models of executive functioning, especially in an age bracket where comprehending it is notoriously difficult.
AB - Executive functions (EF) are higher-order cognitive processes present in the prefrontal cortex and are fundamental in planning, executing and monitoring goal-oriented behaviours. Evaluating EF in early stages of child development is essential for identifying any cognitive alterations in young children, given that it allows for early intervention and minimizes future complications. Additionally, it contributes to a better understanding of this construct in this age bracket, as well as its operational model. Study of EF has recently been the focus of multiple researchers; however, there is still a serious lack of instruments and measurements validated towards children's age bracket. This systematic review's main goal is to evaluate instruments and/or tasks that serve to evaluate and analyse EF and/or their components between the ages of 36 and 72 months. Forty-nine studies were analysed, containing multiple tasks and tools oriented towards EF and their constituent components. Results indicate the existence of various tasks that grade the different components independently from one another; nevertheless, they also confirm the lack of any global measurement instrument or method. Therefore, this systematic review presents itself as an important contribution in the study of EF, stressing not only the importance of further investing into constructing and validating new and better tools for evaluating the construct but also the study of operating models of executive functioning, especially in an age bracket where comprehending it is notoriously difficult.
KW - assessment
KW - executive functions
KW - preschool
KW - systematic review
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124563796&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/cpp.2718
DO - 10.1002/cpp.2718
M3 - Article
C2 - 35112430
AN - SCOPUS:85124563796
SN - 1063-3995
VL - 29
SP - 1374
EP - 1391
JO - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
JF - Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
IS - 4
ER -