Do children’s executive functions account for associations between early autonomy-supportive parenting and achievement through high school?

Abstract

This study evaluated whether the positive association between early\nautonomy-supportive parenting and children's subsequent achievement is mediated by\nchildren's executive functions. Using observations of mothers’ parenting from the\nNICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,306),\nanalyses revealed that mothers’ autonomy support over the first 3 years of life\npredicted enhanced executive functions (i.e., inhibition, delay of gratification, and\nsustained attention) during the year prior to kindergarten and academic achievement in\nelementary and high school even when mothers’ warmth and cognitive stimulation, as\nwell as other factors (e.g., children's early general cognitive skills and mothers’\neducational attainment) were covaried. Mediation analyses demonstrated that over and above\nother attributes (e.g., temperament), children's executive functions partially accounted\nfor the association between early autonomy-supportive parenting and children's subsequent\nachievement.