TY - JOUR
T1 - Executive functions and school readiness intervention
T2 - Impact, moderation, and mediation in the Head Start REDI program
AU - Bierman, Karen L.
AU - Nix, Robert L.
AU - Greenberg, Mark T.
AU - Blair, Clancy
AU - Domitrovich, Celene E.
PY - 2008/6
Y1 - 2008/6
N2 - Despite their potentially central role in fostering school readiness, executive function (EF) skills have received little explicit attention in the design and evaluation of school readiness interventions for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. The present study examined a set of five EF measures in the context of a randomized-controlled trial of a research-based intervention integrated into Head Start programs (Head Start REDI). Three hundred fifty-six 4-year-old children (17% Hispanic, 25% African American; 54% girls) were followed over the course of the prekindergarten year. Initial EF predicted gains in cognitive and social-emotional skills and moderated the impact of the Head Start REDI intervention on some outcomes. The REDI intervention promoted gains on two EF measures, which partially mediated intervention effects on school readiness. We discuss the importance of further study of the neurobiological bases of school readiness, the implications for intervention design, and the value of incorporating markers of neurobiological processes into school readiness interventions.
AB - Despite their potentially central role in fostering school readiness, executive function (EF) skills have received little explicit attention in the design and evaluation of school readiness interventions for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. The present study examined a set of five EF measures in the context of a randomized-controlled trial of a research-based intervention integrated into Head Start programs (Head Start REDI). Three hundred fifty-six 4-year-old children (17% Hispanic, 25% African American; 54% girls) were followed over the course of the prekindergarten year. Initial EF predicted gains in cognitive and social-emotional skills and moderated the impact of the Head Start REDI intervention on some outcomes. The REDI intervention promoted gains on two EF measures, which partially mediated intervention effects on school readiness. We discuss the importance of further study of the neurobiological bases of school readiness, the implications for intervention design, and the value of incorporating markers of neurobiological processes into school readiness interventions.
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U2 - 10.1017/S0954579408000394
DO - 10.1017/S0954579408000394
M3 - Article
C2 - 18606033
AN - SCOPUS:48949116384
SN - 0954-5794
VL - 20
SP - 821
EP - 843
JO - Development and Psychopathology
JF - Development and Psychopathology
IS - 3
ER -
