Understanding the Relationship between Executive Function and Language During the Preschool Period

Executive functions (EFs) are abilities that help us to control our actions, pay attention, and go against automatic responses. EF skills include working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, all of which develop rapidly during early childhood alongside other developmental abilities like language. In fact, previous research has found a relationship between EFs and language abilities. Therefore, the current study investigated the correlation between EFs and language in the preschool period, a pivotal moment in their development. Specifically, the current study examined the relationship between working memory and inhibition and expressive vocabulary and morphosyntax measures in 7 children 4-6 years old. Working memory was significantly correlated with morphosyntax. In contrast, while the correlation between working memory and vocabulary was numerically positive, it was not significant. Inhibition was significantly correlated with expressive vocabulary. The correlation between inhibition and expressive vocabulary was also numerically positive but not significant. The primary limitation of the present study is its small sample size, which limited our power to detect significant effects. However, this preliminary evidence provides a basis for future research to investigate whether there are differential relationships between different components of EFs and language.