We investigated whether and to what extent deficits in executive functions (EF) increase kindergarten children’s risk for repeated academic difficulties across elementary school. We did so by using growth mixture modeling to analyze the first- through third-grade achievement growth trajectories in mathematics, reading, and science of a large (N = 11,010) sample of children participating in the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort of 2011 (ECLS-K: 2011). The modeling yielded four growth trajectory classes in mathematics, reading, and science. We observed an at-risk trajectory class in each academic domain using a standardized scale. Children in the at-risk class initially averaged very low levels of achievement (i.e., about two standard deviations below the mean) in first grade. Their trajectories remained very low or declined further by third grade. Trajectories for other classes were also generally flat but started and remained at higher levels of standardized achievement. Deficits in EF, particularly in working memory, increased kindergarten children’s risk of experiencing repeated mathematics, reading, and science difficulties across elementary school. These predictive relations replicated across three academic domains following statistical control for domain-specific and -general autoregressors as well as socio-demographic characteristics.
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Reciprocal Relations Between Children’s Social and Academic Skills Throughout Elementary School
The purpose of this study was to estimate the longitudinal and reciprocal predictive relations between children’s social skills, measured by an adaptation of the frequently used Social Skills Rating Scale, and their standardized academic achievement. A large nationally representative sample of elementary school students were assessed at least annually from kindergarten through fifth grade in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 ( n = 7963). Structural equation modeling was used to test a panel model of teacher-rated interpersonal and self-control skills and children’s scores on standardized reading, math, and science achievement tests. Reciprocal relations between children’s social skills and achievement were supported throughout elementary school, with achievement showing a stronger and consistent pattern of influence on children’s subsequent social skills.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1749275
- PAR ID:
- 10340553
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment
- ISSN:
- 0734-2829
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 073428292210971
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1177/07342829221097186
