Research on Executive Function Characteristics of Preschool Children in China

Abstract

Executive function (EF) refers to a range of mental abilities that allow people to control their actions, thoughts, and feelings. Children's EF is crucial to their early academic success, especially in mathematics, when they are in preschool. Research on the connections between EF and mathematics learning in Chinese preschoolers is few, despite the centrality of EF to academic success. The goal of this study is to get a thorough understanding of the variables that affect Chinese preschoolers' executive function (EF). This study employs a quantitative methodology. The data is summarized by looking at the total and also the percentage using the frequency analysis. Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis are further methods used to examine the components. Inhibition and flexibility were shown to have a significant link with mathematics learning. Still, working memory was found to have no significant relationship with problems in mathematics learning. The results suggest that interventions that specifically target the development of inhibition and flexibility might be helpful for children who struggle with mathematics learning.