Sustained Attention in Preschoolers: Associations With Sex, IQ and Executive Functions

Being able to sustain attention on a challenging task during preschool age can be an important skill for upcoming schooling demands. This brief report employed a longitudinal design, aiming to explore the role of sex, intelligence quotient and executive functions, assessed as antecedent and concurrent correlates of sustained attention in preschoolers. Seventy preschoolers (52.9% boys) participated in two timepoints – 4½ years-old and four months before enrolling in first grade. IQ and EF were assessed at both timepoints to understand their role in sustained attention, assessed at 5½ years-old using an observational measure of sustained attention in a sorting task. Sustained attention was significantly associated with IQ and cognitive flexibility at 4½ years-old and with concurrent cognitive flexibility and working memory. No differences in sustained attention between girls and boys emerged. This highlights the role of EF for sustain attention just before school entry, laying a sound foundation for future learning and academic outcomes.