Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control

Alexandra Hendry; Mary A. Agyapong; Hana D'Souza; Matilda A. Frick; Ana Maria Portugal; Linn Andersson Konke; Hamish Cloke; Rachael Bedford; Tim J. Smith; Annette Karmiloff-Smith; Emily J.H. Jones; Tony Charman; Karin C. Brocki

doi:10.1002/icd.2297

Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control

Alexandra Hendry, Mary A. Agyapong, Hana D'Souza, Matilda A. Frick, Ana Maria Portugal, Linn Andersson Konke, Hamish Cloke, Rachael Bedford, Tim J. Smith, Annette Karmiloff-Smith, Emily J.H. Jones, Tony Charman, Karin C. Brocki

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8 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Low inhibitory control (IC) is sometimes associated with enhanced problem-solving amongst adults, yet for young children high IC is primarily framed as inherently better than low IC. Here, we explore associations between IC and performance on a novel problem-solving task, amongst 102 English 2- and 3-year-olds (Study 1) and 84 Swedish children, seen at 18-months and 4-years (Study 2). Generativity during problem-solving was negatively associated with IC, as measured by prohibition-compliance (Study 1, both ages, Study 2 longitudinally from 18-months). High parent-reported IC was associated with poorer overall problem-solving success, and greater perseveration (Study 1, 3-year-olds only). Benefits of high parent-reported IC on persistence could be accounted for by developmental level. No concurrent association was observed between problem-solving performance and IC as measured with a Delay-of-Gratification task (Study 2, concurrent associations at 4-years). We suggest that, for young children, high IC may confer burden on insight- and analytic-aspects of problem-solving.

Original language	English
Article number	e2297
Journal	Infant and Child Development
Volume	31
Issue number	3
Early online date	5 Jan 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2297
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We are very grateful to the families who have contributed to this study. We would also like to acknowledge the following individuals who contributed to data collection: Tessel Bazelmans, Mutluhan Ersoy, Sabira Habib, Greg Pasco (STAARS project); Sara Högberg, Fredrika Tham (EFFECT project); Nazanin Biabani, Anna Clark, Malin Karstens, Rebecca Thoburn Pallant, Isabel Quiroz (LonDownS Consortium); Bailey Wristen, Claire Essex, Clare Hansen (TABLET project); and to behavioural coding: Maxine Howard, Beliz Çelikbaş (STAARS project); Natalie Koorn (EFFECT project); Megan Tongs (TABLET project). The British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS)/Studying Autism and ADHD in at Risk Siblings (STAARS) project was funded by the Medical Research Council (MR/K021389/1); the EFFECT project funded by grant 421‐2012‐1222 from Vetenskapsrådet to Dr. Karin Brocki; the LonDownS Consortium funded by Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (grant number: 098330/Z/12/Z) and the TABLET project funded by a Philip Leverhulme Prize (PLP‐2013‐028). M. Agyapong is supported by an ESRC 1 + 3 PhD studentship. H. D'Souza is the Beatrice Mary Dale Research Fellow supported by Newnham College, University of Cambridge. R. Bedford is supported by a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship and King's Prize Fellowship (204823/Z/16/Z). A. Hendry is supported by the Scott Family Junior Research Fellowship at University College, University of Oxford, and was previously supported by an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Funding

We are very grateful to the families who have contributed to this study. We would also like to acknowledge the following individuals who contributed to data collection: Tessel Bazelmans, Mutluhan Ersoy, Sabira Habib, Greg Pasco (STAARS project); Sara Högberg, Fredrika Tham (EFFECT project); Nazanin Biabani, Anna Clark, Malin Karstens, Rebecca Thoburn Pallant, Isabel Quiroz (LonDownS Consortium); Bailey Wristen, Claire Essex, Clare Hansen (TABLET project); and to behavioural coding: Maxine Howard, Beliz Çelikbaş (STAARS project); Natalie Koorn (EFFECT project); Megan Tongs (TABLET project). The British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS)/Studying Autism and ADHD in at Risk Siblings (STAARS) project was funded by the Medical Research Council (MR/K021389/1); the EFFECT project funded by grant 421‐2012‐1222 from Vetenskapsrådet to Dr. Karin Brocki; the LonDownS Consortium funded by Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (grant number: 098330/Z/12/Z) and the TABLET project funded by a Philip Leverhulme Prize (PLP‐2013‐028). M. Agyapong is supported by an ESRC 1 + 3 PhD studentship. H. D'Souza is the Beatrice Mary Dale Research Fellow supported by Newnham College, University of Cambridge. R. Bedford is supported by a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship and King's Prize Fellowship (204823/Z/16/Z). A. Hendry is supported by the Scott Family Junior Research Fellowship at University College, University of Oxford, and was previously supported by an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Keywords

divergent thinking
generativity
inhibitory control
problem-solving
self-regulation
toddlers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology

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10.1002/icd.2297Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Hendry, A., Agyapong, M. A., D'Souza, H., Frick, M. A., Portugal, A. M., Konke, L. A., Cloke, H., Bedford, R., Smith, T. J., Karmiloff-Smith, A., Jones, E. J. H., Charman, T., & Brocki, K. C. (2022). Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control. Infant and Child Development, 31(3), Article e2297. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2297

Hendry, A, Agyapong, MA, D'Souza, H, Frick, MA, Portugal, AM, Konke, LA, Cloke, H, Bedford, R, Smith, TJ, Karmiloff-Smith, A, Jones, EJH, Charman, T & Brocki, KC 2022, 'Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control', Infant and Child Development, vol. 31, no. 3, e2297. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2297

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title = "Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control",

abstract = "Low inhibitory control (IC) is sometimes associated with enhanced problem-solving amongst adults, yet for young children high IC is primarily framed as inherently better than low IC. Here, we explore associations between IC and performance on a novel problem-solving task, amongst 102 English 2- and 3-year-olds (Study 1) and 84 Swedish children, seen at 18-months and 4-years (Study 2). Generativity during problem-solving was negatively associated with IC, as measured by prohibition-compliance (Study 1, both ages, Study 2 longitudinally from 18-months). High parent-reported IC was associated with poorer overall problem-solving success, and greater perseveration (Study 1, 3-year-olds only). Benefits of high parent-reported IC on persistence could be accounted for by developmental level. No concurrent association was observed between problem-solving performance and IC as measured with a Delay-of-Gratification task (Study 2, concurrent associations at 4-years). We suggest that, for young children, high IC may confer burden on insight- and analytic-aspects of problem-solving.",

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author = "Alexandra Hendry and Agyapong, {Mary A.} and Hana D'Souza and Frick, {Matilda A.} and Portugal, {Ana Maria} and Konke, {Linn Andersson} and Hamish Cloke and Rachael Bedford and Smith, {Tim J.} and Annette Karmiloff-Smith and Jones, {Emily J.H.} and Tony Charman and Brocki, {Karin C.}",

note = "Funding Information: We are very grateful to the families who have contributed to this study. We would also like to acknowledge the following individuals who contributed to data collection: Tessel Bazelmans, Mutluhan Ersoy, Sabira Habib, Greg Pasco (STAARS project); Sara H{\"o}gberg, Fredrika Tham (EFFECT project); Nazanin Biabani, Anna Clark, Malin Karstens, Rebecca Thoburn Pallant, Isabel Quiroz (LonDownS Consortium); Bailey Wristen, Claire Essex, Clare Hansen (TABLET project); and to behavioural coding: Maxine Howard, Beliz {\c C}elikba{\c s} (STAARS project); Natalie Koorn (EFFECT project); Megan Tongs (TABLET project). The British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS)/Studying Autism and ADHD in at Risk Siblings (STAARS) project was funded by the Medical Research Council (MR/K021389/1); the EFFECT project funded by grant 421‐2012‐1222 from Vetenskapsr{\aa}det to Dr. Karin Brocki; the LonDownS Consortium funded by Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (grant number: 098330/Z/12/Z) and the TABLET project funded by a Philip Leverhulme Prize (PLP‐2013‐028). M. Agyapong is supported by an ESRC 1 + 3 PhD studentship. H. D'Souza is the Beatrice Mary Dale Research Fellow supported by Newnham College, University of Cambridge. R. Bedford is supported by a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship and King's Prize Fellowship (204823/Z/16/Z). A. Hendry is supported by the Scott Family Junior Research Fellowship at University College, University of Oxford, and was previously supported by an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship. ",

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Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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