Relationship of executive functioning and metacognitive processes with the academic performance in primary children

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship between the executive functioning and the academic performance in arts, science, mathematics and language. The sample consisted of 77 students aged from 6 to 9 years, without clinical diagnostics. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function BRIEF for parents was administered. The results showed that a better executive functioning of students in their homes, mainly in meta-cognitive processes such as working memory, planning, initiative and monitoring, correlate with the highest academic performance both in a general level and in each area: arts, sciences, mathematics and language. It is concluded that the study of executive functioning in contexts such as the home and its relationship with several academic areas such as arts and sciences, as well as mathematics and language that have traditionally been observed, contributes to a broader and more inclusive understanding of factors involved in the Teaching-learning process and the cognitive functioning of boys and girls.