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Cognitive flexibility refers to the ability to rapidly and accurately switch between tasks. It is regarded as a core dimension of executive functions and has been reported to improve during childhood and into early adulthood. For its evaluation, the task-switching paradigm is widely used. Switching between tasks or response sets imposes a series of costs on performance (i.e., mixing costs, global switch costs, local switch costs). There is less evidence analyzing switching performance in children than in other age groups, and few studies have specifically analyzed switching costs only in school-age children. In the present study, we aimed to analyze age-related changes in task switching in children aged 9-12 years old. We considered year-to-year changes in performance, specifically in response time based mixing costs, global switch costs, and local switch costs. To do this, we used a task switching measure to evaluate 231 children in Argentina, aged 9-12 years (M age = 10.94, SD = 0.88) who were aggregated into four age groups (9, 10, 11, and 12 years old). Results show consistent mixing costs, global switch costs, and local switch costs at each age. However, we did not find age-related differences in the magnitude of such costs. These results suggest that both the ability to maintain and select between two tasks, and to switch from one response set to another could be considered relatively constant during this period.

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have implemented preventive measures towards reducing infections. These conditions can affect the mental health of children and adolescents; however, this has not yet been fully explored. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze changes in symptomatology and positive emotions in Argentine children and adolescents since the onset of isolation, based on parent/caregiver report. We analyzed differences based on gender, age, socioeconomic status (SS) and containment measure (and their interactions); their associations with symptomatology and positive affect of parents/caregivers; and the moderating effects of sociodemographic factors on these associations. Method: A total of 1205 caregivers responded to a survey regarding the mental health of children and adolescents under their care. They also completed a set of anxiety, depression, and affect measures about themselves. Results: A considerable proportion of parents/caregivers perceived changes in their children's and adolescents' mental health compared to before the pandemic. Increased levels of anxiety-depression, aggression-irritability, impulsivity-inattention, and dependence-withdrawal were reported, as well as alterations in sleeping and eating habits, and a reduction in positive affect. Differences were observed according to their age and containment measure. Finally, we found correlations between parents/caregivers' symptomatology and that reported about their children or adolescents. Gender, age and SS moderated some of these relationships. Conclusions: Continued monitoring of child and adolescent mental health is a fundamental necessity. We recommend the implementation of early intervention strategies to prevent the escalation of serious mental health problems, particularly in those groups that have been most adversely affected since the onset of the pandemic.

The aim of this study was to analyze the moderating effect of distress tolerance (DT) on the relationship between executive functions and academic performance (AP). Participants were 270 children aged 9-12 years. Executive functions (EFs)--working memory (WM), inhibition, and cognitive flexibility--and DT were evaluated using computerized tasks. Direct measures of reading comprehension and mathematical calculation, as well as school grades, were used to assess AP. Results showed that verbal WM and cognitive flexibility were positively associated with reading indicators, but to a greater extent among children with medium and low DT. A positive association was found between visuospatial WM, and a mathematical indicator, to a greater extent among children with medium and low DT. The EFs did not show explanatory capacity for AP in children with high DT. These results suggest that DT could function as a "compensatory" resource.

The present study analyzed the relationship between domain-general abilities and fraction knowledge in fifth grade, and investigated the mediating role of division competence in that relationship. Children (n = 175) were assessed in fourth grade on domain-general abilities (selective attention, working memory, fluid intelligence) and on division competence; and in fifth grade on fraction conceptual knowledge. Mediation analyses revealed that domain general abilities were direct predictors of fraction concepts, and division competence mediates the 32% of the effect of working memory and the 17% of the effect of intelligence on fraction knowledge. These findings support the assumptions of those theoretical models of numerical cognition that proposed a central role of general cognitive abilities for mathematics learning and indicate that there are distinct pathways from general cognitive abilities to fraction conceptual knowledge.

The present study analyzed the joint predictive role of verbal working memory (WM), verbal short-term memory (STM), fluid intelligence, and intelligence mindset in reading comprehension, controlling for prior reading comprehension performance, in typically developing Spanish-speaking school-aged children. A sample of 83 children aged 9-10 years old were evaluated at fourth grade of primary school, with measures of verbal WM, verbal STM, fluid intelligence, intelligence mindset and reading comprehension; then with the measure of reading comprehension after 1 year, during fifth grade. Results showed that controlling for prior performance, verbal WM and fluid intelligence significantly predicted reading comprehension after 1 year, whereas verbal STM and intelligence mindset did not make a significant contribution. These results indicate that when jointly considered, a higher level of verbal WM and fluid intelligence in fourth grade is related to a better performance in reading comprehension in fifth grade. Possible explanations and implications of these results are discussed.

The present study analyzes the psychometric properties of a Spanish-adapted version of the Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS). This instrument allows teachers to perform a screening of children with possible working memory (WM) difficulties, putting them at risk of academic underachievement. A sample of children age 8.5 to 12.33 years old was evaluated with the WMRS, objective WM measures, and academic skills measures. Results indicated that WMRS scores were negatively correlated with objective WM and academic measures. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a one-factor model had an adequate fit, and that the complete version of the scale was comparatively better than a short 5-item version. The WMRS was effective in differentiating children with low and average WM. These results indicate that the Spanish version of the WMRS presented adequate psychometric properties, and may be useful for teachers in Latin America for screening children with WM difficulties.

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Introduction: Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive skill that has been associated with executive functions such as working memory (WM) and inhibition. Given that the development of these abilities continues through late adolescence, this study seeks to explore the role that both processes play with respect to varying levels of reading comprehension performance in adolescents in two age groups. Method: We evaluated performance in the comprehension of texts, WM, inhibition, reading fluency and verbal skills in 104 adolescents (12/13 years of age n = 53; 17/18 years of age n = 51). Results: We found that reading comprehension performance, WM and inhibition increased significantly with age. Further, a partial correlation showed that reading comprehension is associated with: verbal skills, WM, and inhibition. Lastly, group difference testing indicates that students with high and low comprehension performance differ significantly in verbal skills and executive functioning in the 12/13 age group. In the 17/18 age group, however, they only differed significantly in terms of verbal skills. Conclusion: Reading comprehension, WM and inhibition improve during adolescence. However, the relationship among these abilities differs by age group.