Previous studies on the development of executive functions (EFs) in middle childhood have traditionally focused on cognitive, or “cool,” EFs: working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. However, knowledge of the development of socio-emotional, or “hot,” EFs, such as delay of gratification, decision-making and theory of mind, is more limited. The main aims of this systematic review were to characterize the typical development of both the primary cool and hot EFs in middle childhood, and to identify the main tools for evaluating EFs as a whole. We conducted a systematic search on studies of cognitive and socio-emotional EFs published in the last 5 years in Pubmed, PsycInfo, and WoS databases. Of 44 studies selected, we found a variety of tasks measuring cool EFs, while measures of hot EFs were limited. Nevertheless, the available data suggest that cool and hot components follow distinct, but related, developmental trajectories during middle childhood.

This study aimed to analyze one of the critical components of inhibitory control-the ability to suppress interference-in deaf and hearing children and to investigate the mediating role of language skills in this central component of executive functions. To this end, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 40 deaf children with and without cochlear implants (CIs) and 21 hearing children age 7-10 years. The ability to suppress interference was assessed with the children's version of the Attentional Network Test (child-ANT), and language skills were assessed with a computerized version of the Carolina Picture Vocabulary Test (CPVT), a receptive vocabulary test. As a measure of control of nonverbal cognitive abilities, we used the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI-2). The results showed that deaf children had lower nonverbal IQ than hearing children. In addition, deaf children, compared with hearing children and regardless of whether they used CIs, showed a lower range of receptive vocabulary and a poorer ability to suppress the interference of distractors in the child-ANT. Linear regression mediation analyses revealed that this more significant interference effect was mediated by receptive vocabulary level and not by hearing deprivation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that language is one of the critical factors in the development of executive functions.

Background: Positive symptoms of schizophrenia are associated with significant difficulties in daily functioning, and these difficulties have been associated with impaired executive functions (EEFF). However, specific cognitive and socio-emotional executive deficits have not been fully established. Objective: The present study has several objectives. First, we aimed to examine the specific deficits in cognitive and socio-emotional EEFF in a group of patients with schizophrenia with a predominance of positive symptoms, as well as to determine if these patients present clinically significant scores in any of the three fronto-subcortical behavioral syndromes: Dorsolateral, Orbitofrontal, or Anterior Cingulate. Method: The sample consisted of 54 patients, 27 with a predominance of positive symptoms, and 27 healthy controls matched for gender, age, and education. The two groups completed four cognitive and three socio-emotional EEFF tasks. In the group of patients, positive symptoms were evaluated using the scale for the Evaluation of Positive Symptoms (SANS), while the behavioral alterations associated with the three fronto-subcortical syndromes were evaluated using the Frontal System Behavior Scale (FrSBe). Results: The patients, in comparison with a control group, presented specific deficits in cognitive and socio-emotional EEFF. In addition, a high percentage of patients presented clinically significant scores on the three fronto-subcortical syndromes. Conclusion: The affectation that these patients present, in terms of both cognitive and emotional components, highlights the importance of developing a neuropsychological EEFF intervention that promotes the recovery of the affected cognitive capacities and improves the social and emotional functioning of the affected patients.