Investigating the Feasibility of Preschool Interventions Targeting Children's Executive Functioning & Math Skills

Abstract

Given the well-documented relation between executive functioning (EF) and math skills in preschool, there is a surprising lack of evidence on early intervention approaches that have successfully, and consistently, impacted both EF and math skills. To confront this gap in the literature, Study 1 explored why an established EF intervention impacted children’s math skills and not EF. Study II examined whether explicitly combining EF and math content may impact both children’s math and EF skills. And finally, Study III examined the feasibility of combined math/EF content in the classroom, and identified barriers to coaching, teacher implementation, and teacher understanding of the intervention components. Overall, this dissertation highlights the complexity of how early interventions impact EF and math skills and discusses the implications for research and practice.