Physiological and neurocognitive correlates of adaptive behavior in preschool among children in Head Start

Clancy Blair, Rachel Peters

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

117 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examined physiological and neurocognitive correlates of teacher-reported adaptive behavior in preschool among children in Head Start. Child physiology was assessed by cardiac vagal tone and was measured during a baseline period and during the administration of a mildly effortful cognitive task. Neurocognitive function was measured using two tasks of executive function, which require children to inhibit a prepotent response, while remembering and executing the rule for correct responding. Parents reported on aspects of child negative emotionality associated with fear and anger. Information on child receptive language ability was also collected. Although correlates of teacher-reported social competence and on-task behavior were expected to be similar, some evidence for differentiation was obtained. Results indicated that higher resting vagal tone, vagal increase during the administration of the cognitive task, and higher levels of fearful emotionality were related to higher ratings of social competence, after adjusting for levels of on-task behavior. In contrast, lower resting vagal tone, vagal suppression in response to the cognitive task, and higher levels of executive function were associated with higher teacher ratings of on-task behavior, adjusted for social competence. Implications are considered of findings for developmental relations between social and academic competence and adaptation to preschool among children in Head Start.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)479-497
Number of pages19
JournalDevelopmental Neuropsychology
Volume24
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Physiological and neurocognitive correlates of adaptive behavior in preschool among children in Head Start'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this