(Abstract)
The purpose of this study was to examine the differences of executive function based on age and gender and to explore the mediating effect of children's executive function on the relationship among preschooler's temperament, maternal paren...
(Abstract)
The purpose of this study was to examine the differences of executive function based on age and gender and to explore the mediating effect of children's executive function on the relationship among preschooler's temperament, maternal parenting attitude, preschooler's problem and prosocial behavior.
207 preschoolers and their mothers and 16 their teachers participated in this study. Preschooler's temperament traits were assessed by revised version of Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children 3-7 years and maternal parenting attitudes were assessed by revised version of Maternal Behavior Research Instrument. Preschooler's executive functions were measured by Bear and Tiger, the Eight Boxes, the Children's Gambling Task, the Delay of Gratification Task, and Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions-Preschool Version. Preschooler's problems behaviors were assessed by K-CBCL 1.5-5 and K-TRF, and prosocial behaviors were measured by Prosocial Behavior Scale for Young Children.
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, MANOVA, correlation analysis, and path analysis.
The major results of this study were as follows;
First, there were significant differences by ages in performance-based and teacher rating cool executive function, and there were signigicant differences by ages in hot executive function measured by teacher's rating Scale.
Second, there were significant differences by gender in preschooler's cool executive function measured by parents' rating scale but there was no significant difference in hot executive function by gender.
Third, preschooler's cool executive function mediated the effects of temperament on problem behaviors and prosocial behaviors.
Fourth, preschooler's hot executive function mediated the effects of maternal parenting attitude on preschooler's problem behaviors and prosocial behaviors.
In conclusion, both preschooler's cool and hot executive function mediated the effects of preschooler's temperament and maternal parenting attitude on preschooler's problem and prosoial behaviors. The findings of the study will contribute to design intervention programs to prevent problem behaviors and improve prosocial behaviors.