Individual differences in executive functions and theory of mind mediate the relation between academic skills from kindergarten to 5th grade.

ABSTRACT: Individual differences in early academic skills at school entry are known to predict later academic outcomes, as demonstrated primarily by studies conducted in the United States (US). However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. In a country where early childhood education is more homogeneous than in the US (i.e., France), this study examined the strength of that predictive relationship and explored whether it could be partly explained by two domain-general mechanisms that are fundamental to effective learning in a school context: executive functions and children's ability to navigate social relationships. We measured math and reading skills in a cohort of 95 French children in both kindergarten and 5th grade, while also assessing their self-regulation, working memor

SUBMITTER: Le Diagon S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12129330 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature