Relating Effortful Control, Executive Function, and False Belief Understanding to Emerging Math and Literacy Ability in Kindergarten

This study examined the role of self‐regulation in emerging academic ability in one hundred and forty‐one 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children from low‐income homes. Measures of effortful control, false belief understanding, and the inhibitory control and attention‐shifting aspects of executive function in preschool were related to measures of math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Results indicated that the various aspects of child self‐regulation accounted for unique variance in the academic outcomes independent of general intelligence and that the inhibitory control aspect of executive function was a prominent correlate of both early math and reading ability. Findings suggest that curricula designed to improve self‐regulation skills as well as enhance early academic abilities may be most effective in helping children succeed in school.