@article {695563,
	title = {Executive function, self-regulation skills,behaviors, and socioeconomic status in early childhood},
	journal = {PLoS ONE},
	volume = {17},
	number = {11},
	year = {2022},
	pages = {e0277013},
	abstract = {
	Background and objectives



	



	Prior research has established steep socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in children{\textquoteright}s cognitive skills at kindergarten entry. Yet, few studies have had comprehensive, multi-informant data to examine SES-related differences in foundational social and emotional skills and executive function. The objective of the current study is to systematically examine SES-related differences in young children{\textquoteright}s executive function (EF), self-regulation skills, and behaviors.



	



	Methods



	



	The current study analyzed data on 2,309 young children from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H). Multi-method (direct-assessment and reports) and multi-informant (parents and early education and care educators) information on children{\textquoteright}s executive function, self-regulation skills, and internalizing, externalizing, and adaptive behaviors were used. A parametric framework employing Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation was used to quantify the size of the SES-related differences in this set of children{\textquoteright}s foundational social-emotional skills.



	



	Results



	



	On average, there were differences of 0.24{\textendash}0.45\&nbsp;SD\&nbsp;for EF, 0.22{\textendash}0.32\&nbsp;SD\&nbsp;for self-regulation skills, and 0.27{\textendash}0.54\&nbsp;SD\&nbsp;for behaviors favoring children from the highest SES quartile of the distribution of SES relative to children from the lowest quartile. The SES-related differences were consistent across direct assessment, parent reports, and educator reports. Some differences were larger for older children relative to their younger counterparts.



	



	Conclusions



	



	Findings indicate a need for comprehensive intervention efforts well before kindergarten entry aimed at closing early disparities in children{\textquoteright}s foundational social and emotional skills and executive function.



},
	url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277013},
	author = {Jorge Cuartas and Emily Hanno and Nonie Lesaux and Stephanie Jones}
}
