Best John R, Miller Patricia H, Jones Lara L
University of Georgia.
Dev Rev. 2009 Sep 1;29(3):180-200. doi: 10.1016/j.dr.2009.05.002.
Research and theorizing on executive function (EF) in childhood has been disproportionately focused on preschool age children. This review paper outlines the importance of examining EF throughout childhood, and even across the lifespan. First, examining EF in older children can address the question of whether EF is a unitary construct. The relations among the EF components, particularly as they are recruited for complex tasks, appear to change over the course of development. Second, much of the development of EF, especially working memory, shifting, and planning, occurs after age 5. Third, important applications of EF research concern the role of school-age children's EF in various aspects of school performance, as well as social functioning and emotional control. Future research needs to examine a more complete developmental span, from early childhood through late adulthood, in order to address developmental issues adequately.
关于儿童期执行功能（EF）的研究和理论构建过多地集中在学龄前儿童身上。这篇综述文章概述了在整个儿童期乃至整个生命周期中研究执行功能的重要性。首先，研究大龄儿童的执行功能可以解决执行功能是否为单一结构的问题。执行功能各组成部分之间的关系，尤其是在用于复杂任务时它们的协同方式，似乎会在发育过程中发生变化。其次，执行功能的许多发展，尤其是工作记忆、转换和计划能力，发生在5岁之后。第三，执行功能研究的重要应用涉及学龄儿童的执行功能在学业成绩、社会功能和情绪控制等各个方面所起的作用。未来的研究需要考察从幼儿期到成年晚期更完整的发展跨度，以便充分解决发展问题。
