ABSTRACT
In the United States, family income during the first 3 years of the child’s life has been associated with better working memory and planning skills in elementary school students, and these effects were consistent through middle childhood. Chronic exposure to poverty has been linked to increased Executive functions (EFs) deficits suggesting that the amount of time a child spends in poverty is predictive of their EF difficulties. According to C. B. Blair and C. C. Raver’s experiential canalization model stress physiology acts as a primary mechanism through which experiences shape children’s self-regulation. In turn, changes in stress physiology influence the structure and connectivity in the brain regions that support EFs. Indeed, research shows that measures of socioeconomic status have associations with the structure and function of brain regions known to support EFs. Intervention research provides insights into how policymakers can improve EF development for children.
