Publication date: January–February 2019
Source: Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, Volume 60
Author(s): Jungmeen Kim-Spoon, Kirby Deater-Deckard, Susan D. Calkins, Brooks King-Casas, Martha Ann Bell
Abstract
This study examined the association between executive functioning (EF) and effortful control (EC), and tested whether cognitive control as the commonality of EF and EC, predicted competence and internalizing and externalizing symptomatology in children (N = 218, 6–8 years) and adolescents (N = 157, 13–14 years). Confirmatory factor analyses suggested cognitive control—inhibitory control and attentional control—as a significant overlap between EF and EC. Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that the cognitive control latent factor was associated with competence and internalizing and externalizing symptomatology among children and externalizing symptomatology among adolescents. The results provide evidence that inhibitory control and attentional control are the commonality between EF and EC and highlight that they are linked with positive and negative adjustment outcomes.