McIntyre, Laura LeeBarton, Hannah2021-09-132021-09-132021-09-13https://hdl.handle.net/1794/26608Executive functioning abilities have been associated with important behaviors such as adaptive skills and cognitive abilities in children with and without disabilities. Executive functioning has primarily been measured as a strong predictor of later abilities in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. However, little to no research exists on the role of executive functioning in the lives of children with developmental delays. Developmental delay refers to a broad descriptive category that encompasses a heterogeneous group of children who do and do not yet meet diagnostic criteria for a disability but experience delays in at least one developmental domain. This population presents with a wide range of ability levels and life outcomes. Children with developmental delays represent a common, but understudied, population. The current study explored the relation between child variables in preschool with executive functioning in middle childhood as assessed by direct and indirect (caregiver-reported) measures. Ninety-three children who were identified as having a developmental delay in preschool participated in this study. Seventy-nine of the children continued to meet criteria for a developmental delay or disability in middle childhood. Children completed direct measures of overall cognition, autism symptomology, and executive functioning while caregivers reported on their child’s adaptive behavior and executive functioning through an interview and behavior checklist. Child diagnostic classification and adaptive behavior in preschool did not predict later executive functioning, whether reported by parents or directly measured. The addition of variables measuring autism symptomology and overall cognition in middle childhood did not further explain the relation between child characteristics in preschool and executive functioning in middle childhood. However, caregiver-reported adaptive behavior in middle childhood accounted for a significant amount of the variance in caregiver-reported executive functioning. Future research should continue to examine the characteristics of children with developmental delays across different developmental stages. Additional examinations of the directionality of executive functioning and other key child behaviors, such as adaptive skills, are recommended.en-USAll Rights Reserved.autismdevelopmental delayexecutive functionmiddle childhoodElectronic Thesis or Dissertation