1. The dimensionality of early executive functions in young preschoolers: Comparing unidimensional versus bidimensional models and their ecological validity
- Author
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Nicoletta Scionti, Gian Marco Marzocchi, Scionti, N, and Marzocchi, G
- Subjects
Male ,Ecological validity ,Models, Psychological ,Executive Function ,03 medical and health sciences ,Typically developing ,0302 clinical medicine ,Developmental and Educational Psychology ,Humans ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,05 social sciences ,Reproducibility of Results ,preschooler ,cognitive model ,Executive functions ,Confirmatory factor analysis ,executive functions dimensionality ,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology ,Child, Preschool ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,Social ecological model ,Female ,ecological model ,Factor Analysis, Statistical ,Psychology ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,050104 developmental & child psychology ,Cognitive psychology ,Curse of dimensionality - Abstract
The study analyses the dimensionality of executive functions (EF) and its relationship with behavior in typically developing 3- and 4-year-old children. In study 1, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to investigate the validity of a one-factor model in 117 preschoolers. Since this model was not confirmed, a two-factor model was identified through exploratory factor analysis. In study 2, the validity of the new two-factor versus one-factor model was tested on a new sample of 128 children through a series of CFAs. The relationship between the models and specific behavioral aspects of the children was investigated. The results suggest that a bidimensional structure showed a better fit to the data and more ecological validity than a unitary structure.
- Published
- 2021
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