學齡前孩童之執行功能、合群行為與情緒調節之長期關聯：以臺灣幼兒發展調查資料庫進行交互延宕模式分析

Examining the Long-Term Associations among Executive Function, Sociability, and Emotion Regulation of Preschool Children: A Cross-Lagged Model Analysis of Data from Kids in Taiwan

過去研究中已指出三到六歲為孩童認知能力及社會情緒能力發展的重要時期，若能善用此具可塑性之發展特性，將利於孩童正向的成長，但迄今國內仍缺乏縱貫性的研究對於孩童執行功能與社會情緒能力發展之長期影響過程進行討論。本研究將使用「臺灣幼兒發展調查資料庫」36月齡組之1,066位孩童（男生539位；女生527位）4波次資料（即3、4、5、6歲）進行縱貫性交互延宕及中介效果分析，藉以澄清學齡前孩童執行功能、合群行為、情緒調節三者間長期的影響機制。本研究主要的研究發現有二：（1）三到六歲孩童前一年的執行功能皆能顯著正向預測一年後之合群行為及情緒調節能力；（2）縱貫性中介分析發現，孩童三歲時之執行功能可以透過四歲時之合群行為進而促進五歲時之情緒調節能力。總結而言，提升學齡前孩童的執行功能是促進其後續社會能力及情緒調節發展的重要因素；本研究之發現將提供給幼兒園教師、家長及治療師在平日與孩童互動、介入性課程設計實務應用上之參考。

Previous studies have indicated that the ages of 3–6 years are crucial for the development of children’s cognitive and social-emotional competence. By considering the developmental plasticity, we could optimize the outcome of child development. Very few longitudinal studies have addressed the developmental processes of executive function and social-emotional competence during early childhood in Taiwan. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the reciprocal and long-term associations among preschool children’s executive function, sociability, and emotional regulation over a period of four years. We conducted secondary data analysis of the database,“Kids in Taiwan: National Longitudinal Study of Child Development and Care.’’Our sample consisted of 1,066 children (539 boys and 527 girls) who were followed up in four waves (i.e., at ages three, four, five, and six). We examined our research questions using cross-lagged modeling and longitudinal mediation effect analyses. There were two main findings: (1) Young children’s executive function positively predicted their sociability and emotional regulation one year later, and (2) Children’s executive function at age three could enhance their emotional regulation at age five through sociability at age four. In conclusion, preschool children’s executive function plays an important role in fostering the subsequent development of sociability and emotional regulation. Our findings provide practical guidance for kindergarten teachers, parents, and therapists when designing activities and intervention programs for young children.