The three basic executive components and school performance in mathematics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24109/2176-6681.rbep.101i259.4137
Keywords: executive functions, mathematic performance, memory.

Abstract

Executive Functions (EF) are understood as important predictors of academic performance. As for what constitutes EF, the executive triad model - Working Memory (WM), Inhibitory Control (IC) and Cognitive Flexibility (CF) - is one of the most explored models today. Considering the EF and its relationship with school performance in mathematics, it can be stated that there is no empirical data to infer which component has the highest predictive value on this performance. Therefore, the objective of this quantitative study is to verify which executive components are most associated with mathematical performance and what is the magnitude of this relationship. 110 participants aged from 8 to 12 years old, from public and private schools, were evaluated using the following instruments: the Mini-Mental State Examination (Meem), the Guide for Estimating Mathematical Skills (Coruja PROMAT), the Children’s Abbreviated Neuropsychological Assessment Tool (Neupsilin), the Five Digit Test (FDT) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The results of the statistical analyses of correlation and regression revealed significant relationships between the three components and mathematical performance, with a strong predominance of WM, followed by CF and IC.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Alanny Nunes de Santana, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE). Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.

Mestre em Psicologia Cognitiva pela Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE).

Antonio Roazzi, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE). Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.

Doutor em Psicologia do Desenvolvimento Cognitivo pela University of Oxford. Oxford, Reino Unido. 

Monilly Ramos Araujo Melo, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG). Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brasil.

Doutora em Psicologia Cognitiva pela Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE). Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil.

Published
31-12-2020
How to Cite
NUNES DE SANTANA, A.; ROAZZI, A.; MELO, M. R. A. The three basic executive components and school performance in mathematics . Brazilian Journal of Pedagogical Studies , v. 101, n. 259, 31 Dec. 2020.
Issue
Vol 101 No 259 (2020)
Section
Estudos

Once their work is accepted for publication, author’s copyrights are automatically relinquished to the National Institute for Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (Inep).

Since 2016, the journal Revista Brasileira de Estudos Pedagógicos (RBEP) uses the licence CC-BY.

Partial or total reproduction of the content of this Journal is permitted provided that the original publication is properly referenced, as well as a link to license CC BY 4.0 and to indicate any possible alterations made to the article.