Dissertation
The Relation Between Executive Functioning and Academic Achievement Through Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity: The Role of Family Factors and Teacher-Student Relationships
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004599
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/125050
Abstract
Academic achievement—including performance in both reading and mathematics—in childhood and adolescence has been correlated with higher wellbeing and better performance in both college and first jobs, making it an important focus in child research. Previous research has demonstrated that inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and deficits in executive functioning (EF) have a significant, negative relation with academic achievement. However, there may be protective factors that reduce the risk of lower academic achievement. The current study examined the relation between EF and academic achievement through inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity (i.e., a mediational model). Additionally, the current study aimed to examine if contextual factors (i.e., higher socioeconomic status, multi-caregiver homes, and a more positive teacher-student relationship) served as protective factors in this mediational model. To examine these questions, a data set from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development Phase III was analyzed. Data from 700 children, their mothers, and their teachers were collected across three time points: Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3. First, higher levels of EF at Time 1 significantly, positively related to both reading and math achievement at Time 3. Second, family socioeconomic status, but not number of caregivers in the home, moderated the relation between EF and both reading and math achievement. Third, EF at Time 1 related to Time 3 academic achievement not only directly but indirectly through inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity at Time 2. Fourth, the level of conflict with the teacher at Time 3 moderated the relation between inattention and reading achievement, but not math achievement. The current study aids in understanding of potential protective factors for academic achievement for individuals with lower levels of EF and higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and, thus, may aid in pinpointing early points of intervention. Specifically, better funding for both families and (by proxy) school districts, as well as interventions to reduce teacher-student conflict, may lead to better academic achievement in later years. It should be noted that the current sample was largely white and relied exclusively on female caregivers, which may limit a more holistic understanding of both factors influencing achievement the child’s perceived symptoms.
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Details
- Title
- The Relation Between Executive Functioning and Academic Achievement Through Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity
- Creators
- Robyn Shea Herbert
- Contributors
- Tammy D. Barry (Advisor)Christopher T. Barry (Committee Member)Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 86
- Identifiers
- OCLC#: 1363848225; 99900898939901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation