TY  - JOUR
T1  - Early communicative gestures prospectively predict language development and executive function in early childhood.
JF  - Child Dev
Y1  - 2014
A1  - Kuhn, Laura J
A1  - Willoughby, Michael T
A1  - Wilbourn, Makeba Parramore
A1  - Vernon-Feagans, Lynne
A1  - Blair, Clancy B
AB  - <p>Using an epidemiological sample (N&nbsp;=&nbsp;1,117) and a prospective longitudinal design, this study tested the direct and indirect effects of preverbal and verbal communication (15&nbsp;months to 3&nbsp;years) on executive function (EF) at age 4&nbsp;years. Results indicated that whereas gestures (15&nbsp;months), as well as language (2 and 3&nbsp;years), were correlated with later EF (&phi;s &nbsp;&ge;&nbsp;.44), the effect was entirely mediated through later language. In contrast, language had significant direct and indirect effects on later EF. Exploratory analyses indicated that the pattern of results was comparable for low- and not-low-income families. The results were consistent with theoretical accounts of language as a precursor of EF ability, and highlighted gesture as an early indicator of EF.</p>
VL  - 85
IS  - 5
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Salivary Cortisol Mediates Effects of Poverty and Parenting on Executive Functions in Early Childhood
JF  - Child Development
Y1  - 2011
A1  - Clancy Blair
A1  - Granger, Douglas A.
A1  - Michael T. Willoughby
A1  - Mills-Koonce, Roger
A1  - Cox, Martha
A1  - Mark T. Greenberg
A1  - Kivlighan, Katie T.
A1  - Fortunato, Christine K.
AB  - <p>In a predominantly low-income population-based longitudinal sample of 1,292 children followed from birth, higher level of salivary cortisol assessed at ages 7, 15, and 24&nbsp;months was uniquely associated with lower executive function ability and to a lesser extent IQ at age 3&nbsp;years. Measures of positive and negative aspects of parenting and household risk were also uniquely related to both executive functions and IQ. The effect of positive parenting on executive functions was partially mediated through cortisol. Typical or resting level of cortisol was increased in African American relative to White participants. In combination with positive and negative parenting and household risk, cortisol mediated effects of income-to-need, maternal education, and African American ethnicity on child cognitive ability.</p>
VL  - 82
UR  - http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/cdev.2011.82.issue-6http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01643.x
IS  - 6
ER  -