Executive control and dimensions of problem behaviors in preschool children.
BACKGROUND
Despite the widespread recognition of the importance of executive control (EC) in externalizing psychopathology, the relation between EC and problem behavior has not been well characterized, particularly in typically developing preschoolers.


METHODS
Using the sample, battery of laboratory tasks, and latent variable modeling methods described in Wiebe, Espy, and Charak (2008), systematic latent dimensions of parent-rated problem behavior, measured by integrating scales from developmental and clinical traditions, were determined empirically, and then were related to EC.


RESULTS
Substantial relations between EC and problem behaviors were revealed by extracting the common variance of interest and eliminating extraneous variance, which were robust to estimated child intelligence and differed somewhat in preschool boys and girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Preschool EC measured by laboratory tasks appears to tap abilities that strongly and robustly support broad control processes enabling behavioral regulation across cognitive and emotional domains.
Espy
Kimberly Andrews
KA
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 900 North 16th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508, USA. kespy2@unl.edu
Sheffield
Tiffany D
TD
Wiebe
Sandra A
SA
Clark
Caron A C
CA
Moehr
Matthew J
MJ
D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving