TABLE 3.
Age‐specific differences between research groups on executive functions
| 3‐ to 4‐year‐olds | 5‐ to 7‐year‐olds | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCT | Controls | Statistical test results | SCT | Controls | Statistical test results | |||||
| M (SD) | M (SD) | F | p | d | M (SD) | M (SD) | F | p | d | |
| Neurocognitive skills | ||||||||||
| Global executive function skills (MEFS) | 39.54 (24.40) | 35.89 (25.31) | 0.436 | 0.511 | ‐ | 58.93 (19.47) | 74.80 (14.84) | 10.371 | 0.002 | 0.9 |
| Verbal executive function skills (NEPSY) | 10.59 (2.21) | 11.86 (2.36) | 5.555 | 0.021 | 0.5 | 8.71 (3.09) | 11.31 (2.78) | 10.449 | 0.002 | 0.9 |
| Overall executive functions (BRIEF GEC) | ||||||||||
| Total daily life executive functioning | 55.02 (11.75) | 50.77 (9.07) | 4.608 | 0.066 | 0.4 | 54.29 (11.99) | 44.35 (9.64) | 11.592 | 0.001 | 0.9 |
| Domains of executive functions (BRIEF indices) | ||||||||||
| Inhibitory‐self‐control | 52.66 (11.37) | 49.81 (8.54) | 1.691 | 0.197 | ‐ | 53.40 (14.17) | 43.65 (10.65) | 8.255 | 0.006 | 0.8 |
| (Emergent) Metacognition | 56.15 (11.34) | 51.35 (9.49) | 4.439 | 0.038 | 0.5 | 55.33 (13.02) | 45.31 (9.14) | 10.787 | 0.002 | 0.9 |
| Flexibility | 54.27 (12.45) | 50.49 (9.44) | 2.475 | 0.120 | ‐ | N/A | N/A | |||
| Behavioral specific executive functions (BRIEF subscales) | ||||||||||
| Emotional control | 53.56 (12.33) | 49.30 (8.44) | 3.441 | 0.067 | 0.4 | 56.55 (12.83) | 44.85 (9.80) | 14.512 | 0.001 | 1.0 |
| Working memory | 56.95 (11.53) | 51.09 (10.13) | 6.134 | 0.015 | 0.5 | 56.38 (11.26) | 46.27 (9.34) | 13.304 | 0.001 | 1.0 |
| Plan and organize | 54.10 (11.29) | 51.63 (8.30) | 1.313 | 0.255 | ‐ | 50.58 (10.59) | 43.62 (6.68) | 8.423 | 0.005 | 0.8 |
| Initiate (only 5+) | N/A | N/A | 53.10 (11.22) | 47.15 (8.04) | 4.928 | 0.031 | 0.6 | |||
| Organization of materials (only 5+) | N/A | N/A | 52.33 (12.83) | 48.96 (9.51) | 1.216 | 0.275 | ‐ | |||
| Monitor (only 5+) | N/A | N/A | 49.68 (10.35) | 45.54 (8.26) | 2.709 | 0.105 | ‐ | |||
Note: Higher scores reflect better performance for MEFS and NEPSY assessments, lower scores on the BRIEF reflect better functioning. Different standardized scores are used for each measure: MEFS included percentile scores; NEPSY included scaled scores with a mean of 10, SD of 3; BRIEF included T‐scores with a mean of 50, SD of 10. Significant values are indicated in bold .
Abbreviations: BRIEF, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function; CG, control group; GEC, general executive composite; MEFS, Minnesota Executive Function Scale; NEPSY, NEPSY‐II Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment; SCT, sex chromosome trisomy.