- By Eden
- Salley
Measuring Executive Function in Early Childhood: Why and How
A lot of people are talking about executive function (EF) in the context of learning and school. But what is EF, really? In this article we explain what EF is, and why it is important to measure kids’ EF development as early as possible.
What is EF?
EF is a set of cognitive skills that enables us to plan, focus, remember instructions, and make decisions. For older kids, good habits like keeping an organized binder are often referred to as EF skills, and they are. But fundamentally, all of these skills come from three basic cognitive abilities:
- Inhibitory control: The ability to resist distractions and stop an automatic response. For young children, this might mean waiting their turn during a game or not grabbing a toy from a friend.
- Working memory: The ability to hold and use information in mind over short periods. This skill allows children to follow multi-step instructions, solve problems, and complete tasks that require concentration.
- Cognitive flexibility: The ability to switch gears and adapt to changing situations. This skill helps children move from one activity to another, adjust to new rules in a game, or find different ways to solve a problem.
Why measuring EF in early childhood is important
Measuring EF in early childhood matters for several reasons:
- Early identification: Assessing EF can help identify children who need additional support in developing these critical skills, while those skills are still growing fastest.
- Tailored support: Understanding a child’s EF profile allows parents, educators, and healthcare providers to tailor their approaches to the child’s needs.
- Tracking development: Measuring EF more than once shows a child’s progress over time, so strategies can be adjusted as needed.
- Social and emotional growth: EF helps children manage emotions, wait their turn, and work through disagreements. Knowing where a child stands helps adults support those skills, not just academic ones.
- Predicting future success: Preschool EF predicts early math and reading in kindergarten, independent of general intelligence (Blair & Razza, 2007). Measuring EF early helps adults act on that window.
Chart: EF develops fastest in early childhood, when the brain is most flexible
How can EF be measured?
There are several methods to measure EF in young children, ranging from observational assessments to standardized tests. Here are some commonly used approaches:
- Behavioral checklists and rating scales: Parents, teachers, and caregivers can complete checklists and rating scales that assess a child’s EF behaviors in everyday situations. Examples include the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). These tools provide valuable insights, but they rely on an adult’s observations and may not capture the full picture of a child’s EF abilities.
- Performance-based tasks: These tasks assess a child’s EF skills directly through structured activities. Examples include Stroop-type tasks, which measure inhibitory control, and the Digit Span Task, which assesses working memory. Performance-based tasks provide more objective data but can be time-consuming and require trained administrators.
- Digital direct measures: Research-based digital direct measures like the Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS®) combine the objectivity of a performance task with quick, standardized administration. The MEFS® is played as a game on a tablet or computer and measures all three core components of EF.
Why direct measures matter. A rating scale tells you how an adult sees a child’s typical behavior, which can be shaped by the rater’s expectations and by the setting. A direct measure shows what the child can actually do on the same task, scored the same way for every child. That makes results comparable across children and over time, and gives a clearer view of the EF skills themselves.
About the MEFS® Online
The Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS®) is a research-based, direct measure of executive function designed for children as young as two years old. It offers several benefits:
- Comprehensive assessment: The MEFS® assesses inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility through a sorting game that is engaging for young children.
- Standardized and reliable: The MEFS® is a standardized tool, tested and validated for reliable results. It avoids the subjectivity of behavioral checklists and rating scales.
- Ease of use: The MEFS® takes about 5 minutes on a tablet or computer, so it works at home, in schools, and in clinics.
- Immediate results: The MEFS® provides immediate feedback on a child’s EF skills, so parents and educators can quickly understand strengths and areas needing support.
- Research-based: The MEFS® is grounded in decades of research on EF development by Drs. Stephanie Carlson and Philip David Zelazo at the University of Minnesota.
- Large national norms: The MEFS® is normed on 100,000+ people, including more than 102,000 children ages 2 to 18.
Graph: Preschool MEFS® score predicts 3rd Grade Math and Literacy
Conclusion
By measuring EF in early childhood, we can identify areas where children may need additional support, tailor our approaches to their needs, and track their progress over time. This sets the stage for positive outcomes, helping children thrive now and in the future.
Various EF measurements are available, from behavioral checklists to performance-based tasks. Research-based, digital direct measures offer an objective, reliable, and engaging way to assess these critical skills.
Are you a Bright Horizons family? Use the link in the invitation email from your center to measure your child’s EF with the MEFS®. It takes just 5 minutes. To learn what to expect, read What Is the Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS®)?
References
Blair, C., & Razza, R. P. (2007). Relating effortful control, executive function, and false belief understanding to emerging math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Child Development, 78(2), 647–663.
Willoughby, M. T., & Blair, C. B. (2016). Measuring executive function in early childhood: A case for formative measurement. Psychological Assessment, 28(3), 319–330.
Zelazo, P. D., & Carlson, S. M. (2012). Hot and cool executive function in childhood and adolescence: Development and plasticity. Child Development Perspectives, 6(4), 354–360.
