Caregiver executive functions are associated with infant visual working memory

Abstract

Caregiver executive functions (EFs) play an integral role in shaping cognitive development. Here, we investigated how caregiver EF abilities (86 caregivers; mean age = 33.4 years, SD = 4.5) was associated with visual working memory (VWM) in infants (86 infants females; mean age = 250.6 days, SD = 35.8). The BRIEF-A was used to assess caregiver EFs, and a preferential looking task along with fNIRS was used to assess VWM function in infants. Our findings revealed that better caregiver behavioral regulation was associated with better VWM performance, greater right-lateralized parietal activation, and left-lateralized frontal suppression, while better caregiver metacognition and emotional control was associated with greater right-lateralized temporal suppression in infants. Taken together, these associations suggest that better caregiver EF abilities might shape visuo-spatial attention and memory, guide fixation on task-relevant goals, and suppress distractions in children from as early as the first year of life. Highlights: The study investigated the association between caregiver executive functions (EF) and visual working memory (VWM) function in infants. Caregiver EFs were assessed using the BRIEF-A questionnaire, and infant VWM function was assessed using the preferential-looking task and brain imaging. Better caregiver EF abilities were associated with better VWM behavior and fronto-temporo-parietal engagement in infants.