Measuring the Relationship between Children’s Communicative Abilities and Executive Functions

Abstract

The present study builds upon previous research to explore the relationship between children’s performance on a measure of executive function and scores of verbal ability and communication. In addition, the study examined if executive function is predictive of protective factors and behavioral concerns. Data used for this analysis were drawn from a sample of 1,350 three- to four-year-olds who had not yet entered kindergarten. Linear regression analysis suggested a relationship between child executive functions and receptive communication skills. This finding opens the door for future research to explore if the development of these two skill sets co-occurs or if one precedes the other.