abstract: 'Among the many factors contributing to the SES-achievement gap,

  executive function (EF) skills have received a considerable amount of

  attention, given their role in supporting academic skill development.

  While recent work has demonstrated that global EF constructs mediate

  SES-achievement relations, less attention has been paid to unpacking the

  role of specific EF components in linking SES to achievement. Data from

  the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1273)

  were analyzed to assess direct and indirect associations between SES

  indicators, preschool EF skills, and first-grade math and reading

  achievement. Using path analysis, we found parent education and working

  memory to be uniquely and most predictive of both achievement domains.

  Further, after controlling for baseline academic skills, verbal ability,

  and other child- and family-level covariates, only working memory

  mediated the association between parent education and children''s math

  achievement. These findings offer a comprehensive look at the specific

  mechanisms through which socioeconomic disadvantage contributes to

  children''s academic development and provide an initial step towards

  generating more precise targets for policies and interventions aimed at

  closing the achievement gap. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.'
affiliation: 'Waters, NE (Corresponding Author), Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
  USA.

  Waters, Nicholas E.; Ahmed, Sammy F.; Tang, Sandra; Morrison, Frederick J.; Davis-Kean,
  Pamela E., Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA.'
author: Waters, Nicholas E. and Ahmed, Sammy F. and Tang, Sandra and Morrison, Frederick
  J. and Davis-Kean, Pamela E.
author-email: nickwat@umich.edu
author_list:
- family: Waters
  given: Nicholas E.
- family: Ahmed
  given: Sammy F.
- family: Tang
  given: Sandra
- family: Morrison
  given: Frederick J.
- family: Davis-Kean
  given: Pamela E.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.09.008
eissn: 1873-7706
files: []
issn: 0885-2006
journal: EARLY CHILDHOOD RESEARCH QUARTERLY
keywords: 'Socioeconomic status; Executive function; Academic achievement;

  Achievement gap; Parent education; Working memory'
keywords-plus: 'SCHOOL READINESS; EARLY-CHILDHOOD; SELF-REGULATION;

  BEHAVIORAL-REGULATION; MATERNAL EDUCATION; PARENT EDUCATION; FUNCTION

  SKILLS; WORKING-MEMORY; FAMILY INCOME; LITERACY'
language: English
number-of-cited-references: '97'
orcid-numbers: 'Ahmed, Sammy/0000-0003-3814-2955

  Davis-Kean, Pamela/0000-0001-8389-6268

  Waters, Nicholas/0000-0001-7149-3541'
pages: 321-331
papis_id: 393f118643fc1a9008febc7a0fc19dbc
ref: Waters2021pathwayssocioeconomi
researcherid-numbers: 'Ahmed, Sammy/AAW-7661-2021

  '
times-cited: '32'
title: 'Pathways from socioeconomic status to early academic achievement: The role
  of specific executive functions'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000607446600026
usage-count-last-180-days: '5'
usage-count-since-2013: '52'
volume: '54'
web-of-science-categories: Education \& Educational Research; Psychology, Developmental
year: '2021'