A primary aim of the neuropsychological revolution has been the mapping of what has come to be known as executive function (EF). This term encompasses a range of mental processes such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility that, together, regulate our social behavior, and our emotional and cognitive well-being. In this book, top scientists from a variety of fields investigate executive function as it develops in early childhood. Because researchers differ in how they conceptualize basic processes and even in how they define EF itself, contributors begin by discussing comparability and replicability, key issues of primary importance to those seeking to move the field to a new level of rigor. Next, they tackle the nuts-and-bolts of the development of EF in preschoolers, including the neurobiological mechanisms and circuitry that underlie EF development as well as the role of EF in assessing risk and its counterpart, resilience. Finally, they highlight exciting new clinical applications of EF research, including the use of EF in contextualizing and assessing family risk, the impact of socioeconomic status on neurological development, and the promotion of EF development through early education programs.
About the Author: James A. Griffin, PhD, is the deputy chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, and the director of the Early Learning and School Readiness Program.
Prior to NICHD, Dr. Griffin served as a senior research analyst in the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education; as the assistant director for the social, behavioral, and education sciences in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and as a research analyst at the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
Dr. Griffin's career has focused on research and evaluation efforts related to service systems and early intervention programs designed to enhance the development and school readiness of children from at-risk and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Peggy McCardle, PhD, MPH, is an affiliated research scientist at the Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, and an independent consultant. She is involved in editing volumes related to literacy and learning, mentoring young scholars and researchers, and consulting in a variety of areas, including child language development and learning, bilingualism, education, and learning disabilities. In her role as former chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development she was actively involved in the workshop that was the impetus for this volume.
Lisa S. Freund, PhD, is the chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). She is a developmental neuropsychologist who is known for her neuroimaging studies with children from different clinical populations and was an NICHD-supported scientist for several years. She is currently responsible for a multi-faceted research and training program at NICHD to promote investigations, both basic and applied, to gain a deeper understanding of the developing brain and associated behaviors.
