Executive functioning of preschool children

Executive functions (EF) are an umbrella term for a number of internally connected processes that are responsible for intentional, target behaviour. Development of EF in early childhood has only been researched in the last twenty years, because they were commonly believed to be developing during the adolescence. This belief was refuted by neurological studies which showed that EF start developing immediately after birth and that early childhood is crucial for their further development as well as for cognitive and social development. Although we have an inborn biological capacity for EF, whether their potential is fulfilled or not also depends on social factors to which parents can contribute a great deal. Weak EF are closely linked to signs of different developmental disabilities, so an early assessment of EF has clinical implications as well. The empirical part of the research focuses on the level of development of EF in preschool children. It was carried out using a descriptive and causal non experimental research method and a quantitative research approach. Data were collected from surveys using a translated rating scale Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory for Parents and Teachers (CHEXI). The research was conducted on a convenience sample of children between 4 and 6 years of age. A subsample of risk group children was used to compare executive functioning of these children to that of their parents (Adult Executive Functioning Inventory, ADEXI) and to signs of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; The Conners Early Childhood Assessment, Conners, CTRS). This subsample was described in more detail through observation of its performance on informal assessments. The research translated and examined an internationally well established instrument for rating EF in preschool children. Moreover, it provided guidelines for supporting the development of executive functioning in early childhood. The results showed that children manifest certain behaviours which indicate lower executive functioning with prevailing issues regarding inhibition. Based on the results, we can conclude developmentally appropriate behaviours as well as behaviours with suspected problems. Level of development of EF is statistically significantly greater among girls, children with no anomalies in development and children who are not in the process of placement into special needs educational programmes. Compared to the group with no anomalies, the risk group was statistically significantly less successful even at informal assessments. With 70 % of children who were recognised as at-risk on the EF front, at least one assessor reported attention difficulties and hyperactivity. Executive functioning of children (CHEXI) has proved to be highly statistically significantly associated with signs of ADHD (CTRS), parents’ EF (ADEXI) and moderately statistically significantly associated with informal assessments for evaluation of EF. Parents tended to notice more problems related to EF, and educators tended to more critically notice problems related to ADHD