Abstract

This study examined the developmental trajectories of executive function in a cohort of children aged 8 to 11 years using data from the Panel Study on Korean Children [PSKC]. Potential gender differences in these trajectories were investigated using data collected in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Responses from the mothers of 548 boys (49.3%) and 564 girls (50.7%) were analyzed with a total of 1,112 respondents. A Repeated Measures ANOVA was conducted, revealing that participants' executive function scores exhibited a curvilinear pattern, converging toward the mean over time. When examining gender differences, significant disparities were observed in the initial executive function values, whereas the slopes, indicative of the rate of change in executive function over time, displayed insignificant gender differences. The research finding underscored the presence of lower initial executive function scores in boys, suggesting the necessity for implementing intervention strategies to facilitate increased growth in their executive function abilities. Additionally, subsequent application of Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) revealed the existence of three distinct profiles, with gender identified as a significant determinant in shaping these profiles.