Relationship between executive functions and academic performance in statistics in psychology students
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Abstract
This study examines the relationship between performance in executive functions (EFs) and academic achievement in the subject of statistics. It explores the characteristics of EFs and their connection to performance in this discipline, focusing on working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and planning, given their association with mathematical performance. The research involved 92 second-semester psychology students from a campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with an average age of 18.3 years (77.5% female). To assess EFs, the EFECO scale (Evaluation of Executive Functions through Behavioral Observation) by Ramos-Galarza et al. (2016) was used, while academic performance was measured through the grade obtained in the Descriptive Statistics course, taken during the first year of the program. The results indicated that the highest-scoring executive functions on the EFECO scale were working memory, initiative, planning, and inhibition. Additionally, strong and significant correlations were found among the different EFs assessed. However, statistical analyses did not reveal a significant relationship between performance in statistics and the evaluated EFs. These findings provide valuable insights for designing cognitive stimulation programs aimed at enhancing academic performance by strengthening executive functions. Future research should consider other variables, such as academic stress, achievement motivation, and learning expectations.
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