The Importance of Inhibitory Control in Childhood Development

 

The involvement of the prefrontal cortex in behaviors such as attention, social interactions, and decision making has caused it to be a highly studied brain region among developmental psychologists and neuroscientists. Importantly, the prefrontal cortex has been found to play an important role in inhibitory control, which is essentially a person’s ability to suppress inappropriate behaviors, and to regulate their actions based upon their setting. Inhibitory control is a skill that is learned during the process of development, and has therefore been subject to much research. Gaining a deeper understanding of inhibitory control has allowed researchers to investigate how it is able to affect other behaviors and traits throughout development. 

Dr. Martha Ann Bell and colleagues were interested in learning specifically how inhibitory control can affect a child’s academic abilities. In their work, “Relations between frontal EEG maturation and inhibitory control in preschool in the prediction of children’s early academic skills,” the researchers carried out a longitudinal study on children ranging from ages 10 months to 6 years. In their study, EEG testing was used in order to measure the maturity of the prefrontal cortex over the course of development. Specifically, researchers recorded what is known as alpha power; essentially a measure of cortico-frontal brain activity. Additionally, they carried out various behavioral tasks (such as stroop tasks) to test inhibitory control, and various academic tests (such as simple math and reading questions) to test levels of academic ability. Notably, the researchers found that over the course of the child’s life, larger increases in alpha power (indicating greater maturation of the prefrontal cortex) were often accompanied by greater inhibitory control and academic ability. Overall, their experiment highlighted the importance of proper development of the prefrontal cortex in the cognitive development of a child. 

Dr. Martha Ann Bell et al. demonstrate the role that inhibitory control can play a role in a child’s academic abilities, but in order to apply this finding to childhood development, it is important to gain understanding as to what factors could have an effect on its progression. The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed the world we live in, and as Dr. Ya-Yun Chen and colleagues discuss in their journal, “Negative impact of daily screen use on inhibitory control in preadolescence: A two-year follow-up study,” it has also impacted the development of children. The researchers found that as a result of the pandemic, children have spent more time interacting with screens, and less time interacting with other children. Naturally, this has caused children to expect instant gratification, and in turn, has decreased their levels of inhibitory control. More specifically, by conducting neuroimaging studies of children exposed to different levels of screen time (as reported in a survey), the researchers determined that with increased screen time, there was a decrease in the level of fronto-striatal circuitry (a brain circuit found in the prefrontal cortex), which is responsible for regulation behaviors such as impulse and inhibitory control. Therefore, the researchers demonstrate the importance of regulating a child’s exposure to screens, as it has the potential to cause lasting effects on development.

Dr. Martha Ann Bell’s work highlights the importance of inhibitory control in a developing child, as it is associated with their long-term academic abilities and success. Therefore, it is highly important to encourage healthy habits in children to ensure proper development of the prefrontal cortex, and in turn inhibitory control. Their work, however, prompts the question as to which behaviors encourage or stunt the development of inhibitory control. The work by Dr. Ya-Yun Chen and colleagues poses an important modern-day threat to the development of children’s inhibitory control. With increased screen time comes decreased levels of inhibitory control, which, based on Martha Ann Bell’s findings, can also lead to decreased academic abilities in children. With the changing of the modern, post-pandemic, world, it is important to be aware of the effect this may be having on the development of children. 

References

Chen, Y. Y., Yim, H., & Lee, T. H. (2023) Negative impact of daily screen use on inhibitory control network in preadolescence: A two year follow up study. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 60. 

Whedon, M., Perry, N. B., & Bell, M. A. (2020). Relations between frontal EEG maturation and inhibitory control in preschool in the prediction of children’s early academic skills. Brain and Cognition. 146.