Developmental Trends of Executive Function in Chinese Preschool Children

Abstract

Executive functions have the irreplaceable function of ensuring survival and promoting growth for children development, especially in the early childhood. This study investigates the developmental trends of executive function in Chinese preschool children, specifically focusing on inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. This study employed a quantitative and cross-sectional design involving 222 preschool children aged 3 to 5 from four kindergartens of Shaanxi province. SPSS was used to identify the age and gender differences. The Peabody Executive Function Assessments, comprising three subtests, were employed to measure executive function skills. The results reveal significant developmental progress in executive function during preschool, with ages 4 to 5 exhibiting particularly rapid improvement.        The findings also showed that there is significant age differences in all variables while significant gender differences in inhibitory control but not in cognitive flexibility, working memory. These findings offer valuable insights into the cognitive development of Chinese preschoolers and highlight the importance of early intervention programs to foster executive function skills for better academic achievement and cognitive functioning.