The whole is greater than the sum of its parts: Using cognitive profiles to predict academic achievement

Executive functions (EFs) are thought to work in concert to support academic skill. However, EFs are often examined independently, obscuring their symbiotic contribution. We examined the relationship between students' holistic EF profiles and their academic success. We sampled over 1200 7–15 year old students from a diverse school district (16 % White; 32 % low income) in the United States. We used 9 EF assessments to construct cognitive profiles via self-organizing maps. We then related profiles to academic achievement scores from both laboratory-based assessments and state-administered standardized tests of reading and math. Six profiles differed in EF performance, but their differences in academic achievement did not suggest a linear relationship between individual EFs and academic skill. We show cognitive profiles based on individual strengths and weaknesses in EFs can reveal multiple cognitive paths to the same academic outcome.