Synopsis

This 2026 longitudinal study tracks how children’s executive function skills—such as self-regulation, focus, working memory, and cognitive flexibility—develop from ages 2.5 to 6.5, and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected that development. Using the Minnesota Executive Function Scale with 139 children, researchers found typical steady growth in these skills, but clear evidence of disruption tied to human/policy responses during the pandemic, not the virus directly.

Implications—These findings highlight the critical role of structured social and educational environments in building executive function skills in early childhood, and they underscore the need for targeted, play-based supports in early learning settings to help children recover from such policy-driven interruptions.

Key Methods—Children were assessed multiple times over years, with comparisons between those in preschool during the first UK lockdown (March 2020) and those starting primary school; analyses controlled for maternal education, socioeconomic status, and other factors.

Main Findings—Executive function skills showed strong stability over time overall, with higher levels linked to more educated mothers. However, children who were in their first year of primary school when lockdowns began showed slower growth in these skills compared to younger preschool-aged peers, who had steeper recovery/growth trajectories post-lockdown. Post-lockdown assessments (1–3 years later) revealed greater variability in individual development.

Cause of the Setbacks—The study overtly attributes the slower growth to pandemic-related disruptions from human choices and policies—specifically lockdowns, school closures, and restrictions that limited early schooling, structured routines, peer socialization, and enriching classroom interactions during a key developmental window. It does not link effects to direct viral infection; instead, phrases like “disruptions to early schooling and social routines,” “school closures… reduced opportunities for routine socialization with peers,” and “withdrawal of typical peer interactions during the pandemic” point to imposed restrictions as the driver.

The Study

Here’s the study:

Citation

Johns, E., Forbes, S. H., Delgado Reyes, L. M., Buck, C., & Spencer, J. P. Tracking the trajectory of executive function from 2.5 to 6.5 years of age and the impact of COVID-19. Child Development. https://doi.org/10.1093/chidev/aacag002

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