Genes Unite Executive Functions in Childhood
Engelhardt LE, Briley DA, Mann FD, Harden KP, Tucker-Drob EM · 2015
grade Btwin-adoptionindependentreplicated
Sample
505 individuals from 272 twin and triplet pairs (84 monozygotic, 97 same-sex dizygotic, 89 opposite-sex dizygotic)
Population
Texas Twin Project; children aged 7.9 to 15.3 (mean 11.0), grades 3-8.
Design
Twelve tasks spanning inhibition, switching, working memory and updating, with a latent-variable ACE decomposition. The value of this study for the archive is that it tests the Colorado adolescent result in a younger, independent, differently ascertained sample.
Key findings
Common EF factor A = 1.00 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.00), C = .00 (.00 to .00), E = .00 (-.05 to .05). Genetic influences on the Common EF factor mediated 100% of the variance common to the domain-specific factors. Domain-specific results - switching A = .59, working memory E = .38, updating E = .24, inhibition no unique effects. No appreciable effects of the shared environment were apparent at any level of analysis.
Genetic confound
This is the genetic evidence.
Replication notes
A direct replication of Friedman et al. 2008 in children rather than adolescents, in a different cohort, by a different group. Two independent samples, same answer.
DOI / URL
10.1177/0956797615577209
Effects
| Outcome | Metric | Value | Measure | Timing | Vs | Horizon | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common executive-function factor in childhood | A / C / E | A = 1.00 (1.00-1.00), C = .00 (.00-.00), E = .00 (-.05-.05) | standardized | ages 8-15 | none | not-applicable | g |
| Shared environment at any level of analysis | C variance | no appreciable effects | standardized | ages 8-15 | none | not-applicable | g |
Cited by
- Can executive function be trained, and does it transfer to learning?no effectconf: highgc: low