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Measuring Young Children’s Executive Function and Self-Regulation in Classrooms and Other Real-World Settings

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Abstract

A number of different approaches are currently used for assessing young children’s executive function (EF) and self-regulation (SR) skills. Nevertheless, guidance for stakeholders aiming to assess EF and SR in real-world settings (e.g., preschool classrooms) is currently lacking. In the present article, I review the properties, strengths, and weaknesses of three common approaches to EF and SR measurement: direct assessments, adult reports, and observational tools. Building on this general review, I next highlight several considerations specific to EF and SR measurement of young children in everyday contexts. In particular, I consider the ecological validity, interpretability, and scalability of each approach to EF and SR measurement, concluding with future directions for research.

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    Dana Charles McCoy

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McCoy, D.C. Measuring Young Children’s Executive Function and Self-Regulation in Classrooms and Other Real-World Settings. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 22, 63–74 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-019-00285-1

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