Components of cognitive control processes in preschoolers from poor- and non-poor homes

LIPINA S.J.; SEGRETIN M.S.; HERMIDA M.J.; BENARÓS S.; COLOMBO J.A.

San Francisco

Congreso; Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Annual Meeting; 2008

Cognitive Neuroscience Society

Working memory, inhibitory control and planning paradigms, were used to evaluate executive performance of healthy children (N=208, 3-to 5-years-old) from poor (P) and non-poor (NP) homes (poverty criteria: UBN method). Significant differences were observed between groups in AnotB (working memory and inhibitory control) (MANOVA, Delay 10 sec, Correct: NP: 6.03±1.66, P: 5.72±1.95, p=0.02, Consecutive Correct:, NP: 4.01±1.7, P: 3.61±1.8, p=0.01), Three and Four Colors (TFC) (working memory and inhibitory control) (Score 1: NP: 4.06±1.32, P: 1.73±1.06, p=0.01, Score 2: NP: 4.05±1.69, P: 1.95±1.27, p=0.01), and Tower of London (TOL) (planning) (Planning Time: NP:6.85"±2.57, P:5.91"±2.56, p=0.01, Score 1: NP: 6.67±2.85, P: 6.39±2.84, p=0.01). To identify the key components of executive functions in both groups, data were subjected to three exploratory factor analyses, one for each group and the total sample (Method: principal components, Rotation: Varimax). Stable structures consisted in a 5-factors model were found in NP and P groups, explaining 73.93% (KMO=0.66, Bartlett: Chi2=736.83, p=0.001) and 72.49% (KMO=0.65, Bartlett: Chi2=787.75, p=0.001) of the variance, respectively. In the NP group AnotB variables were related to Factor 1 (24.69%) (Correct =0.89; Consecutive Correct =0.92; Perseverative =-0.62; Correct Sets=0.82); TFC and TOL to Factor 2 (15.92%) (TFC score 1=0.76; TFC score 2=0.71; TOL score 1=0.91; TOL score 2=0.85); Color Reversal to Factor 3 (14.84%) (Correct =0.71; First Block=-0.91; Perseverative=0.89); Spatial Reversal to Factor 4 (11.58%) (Correct=0.78; First Block=-0.84; Perseverative=0.78); and Day/Night like stroop to Factor 5 (6.89%) (Score 1=0.84). In the P group, TFC and TOL were related to Factor 1 (22.95%) (TFC score 1=0.83; TFC score 2=0.76; TOL score 1=0.85; TOL score 2=0.82); AnotB to Factor 2 (16.14%) (Correct =0.76; Consecutive Correct =0.92; Perseverative =-0.72; Correct Sets=0.87); Color Reversal to Factor 3 (14.14%) (Correct =0.75; First Block=-0.88; Perseverative=0.90); Spatial Reversal to Factor 4 (12.15%) (Correct=0.71; First Block=-0.78; Perseverative=0.85); and Day/Night like stroop to Factor 5 (7.11%) (Score 1=0.87). Results suggest that factorial structure of executive functions were similar for both socioeconomic groups despite their quantitative differences in performance. Acknowledgements. Fundación Conectar, San Jorge Emprendimientos, Fundación René Barón, CONICET, Ministerio de Educación GCBA.