Citation

Chen HY, Meng LF, Yu Y, Chen CC, Hung LY, Lin SC, Chi HJ. Children (Basel) 2021; 8(10): e922.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/children8100922

PMID

34682188

PMCID

PMC8534984

Abstract

This research surveyed the characteristics of the developmental traits of impulse control behavior in children through parent-report questionnaires. After matching for gender and attention behavior, as well as controlling for variables (motor and perception) which might confound impulse control, 710 participants (355 girls and 355 boys; grade, 1-5; age, 7-12 years) were recruited from a database of 1763 children.

RESULTS demonstrated that there was a significant difference between grade 1 and grade 5 in impulse control. Conversely, no significant differences were found when comparing other grades. The present findings indicate that a striking development of impulse control occurs from grade 4 to 5. Moreover, the plateau of impulse control development from grade 1 to 4 implies that a long transition period is needed to prepare children to develop future impulse control. In conclusion, the age-dependent maturation associated with stage-wise development is a critical characteristic of impulse control development in school age children. Further discussions are made regarding this characteristic, such as from the perspective of frontal lobe development.

Language: en

Keywords

developmental trait; impulsive behavior; inhibition; school age