Longitudinal Predictions between Executive Function and General and Specific Psychiatric Problems in School-Age Children

This study examined the longitudinal associations of various executive function components with subsequent psychiatric problems in Chinese school-age children. Data from 1,639 children (44.36% girls) ages 6-13 years were drawn from the Children School Functions and Brain Development project. Executive function components were assessed by the cancellation test, the Corsi test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Psychiatric problems were determined by parent report. All assessments were administered twice, separated by a 1-year interval. Cross-lagged panel models showed that cognitive flexibility and general psychiatric problems (general p) mutually predicted each other. Worse inhibitory control at baseline significantly predicted more externalizing problems 1 year later, regardless of age, while externalizing problems did not significantly predict inhibitory control 1 year later. Working memory at baseline did not significantly predict internalizing problems and vice versa. These findings demonstrate that better inhibitory control may help to prevent or reduce externalizing problems in Chinese school-age children and that higher cognitive flexibility may help to mitigate general psychiatric problems.