Research Byte: Examining an Executive Function Rating Scale as a Predictor of Achievement in Children at Risk for Behavior Problems

Examining an Executive Function Rating Scale as a Predictor of Achievement in Children at Risk for Behavior Problems

Authors:
Sadeh, SS; Burns, MK; Sullivan, AL

Source:
*SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY QUARTERLY*, 27 (4):236-246; DEC 2012

Abstract:
Evidence suggests that executive function (EF) may be a potent and
malleable predictor of academic achievement in children. Schools may be
able to use this predictive power if researchers develop EF measures
that not only have ecological and construct validity, but also are also
efficient and affordable. To this end, Garcia-Barrera and colleagues
(2011) developed a behavior rating scale from items on Behavior
Assessment System for Children-Teacher Report (Reynolds & Kamphaus,
1992) to screen children for deficits in EF. It is important to know how
well this measure fits and predicts data from young children identified
as at risk for behavior disorders because this population is often the
focus of prevention and intervention efforts. The present study used
confirmatory factor analysis to investigate how well the factor
structure of the EF screener fit data from 220 kindergartners at risk
for developing behavior disorders. The relationships between EF and
academic achievement in math and reading were also examined. The
confirmatory factor analysis results indicated adequate model-data fit,
but the multiple regression models yielded trivial effect sizes,
indicating EF scores did not predict well either kindergarten or
first-grade achievement scores when controlling for gender and
intelligence scores. The study's limitations and future research needed
on the convergence of EF measurements were discussed.