An interactive framework of working memory and inhibitory control has been endorsed for examining cognitive development across the lifespan (Roberts & Pennington, 1996). According to this framework, the interaction between working memory and inhibitory control (WMIC) is necessary for adaptive daily functioning (Roberts & Pennington, 1996) and crucial for the development of executive functioning in childhood (Brocki & Bohlin, 2004). Empirical work from early developmental periods supports the interactive WMIC framework (e.g., Bell, 2001; Diamond, Kirkham, & Amso, 2002) and has identified sources of variability (brain electrical activity, temperament, and language) associated with WMIC functioning in infancy and early childhood (Wolfe & Bell, 2004). Although there is some evidence to suggest the interdependent nature of working memory and inhibitory control in late childhood and adulthood (Diamond, 2002; Luna, Garver, Urban, Lazar, & Sweeney, 2004), work in these later developmental periods has focused primarily on the independent processes of working memory (WM) and inhibitory control (IC) and the interactive WMIC framework has not been directly investigated from late childhood onward. Therefore, the first goal of the current study was to examine the interactive framework in a late childhood sample. The second goal of the study was to examine sources of variability in WMIC functioning in late childhood, with the intention of determining which sources of variability were associated with and contributed unique variance in explaining WMIC performance. Thirty-eight children (19 male) completed four age-appropriate interactive WMIC tasks (the color-word Stroop, the Fruit Stroop, the counting go/no-go and the Wisconsin Card Sort Test) and two language tasks. Both parents and children responded to a temperament questionnaire. Brain electrical activity was collected via EEG recordings during a two-minute baseline and WMIC tasks. The four interactive WMIC tasks were tested for relation of the independent (WM, IC) and combined (WMIC) components within tasks and across tasks. The four WMIC tasks were not correlated with one another. However, the independent (WM, IC) components were correlated both with one another and with the combined WMIC measure within each task, providing some support for an interactive framework in late childhood. The sources of variability associated with the independent (WM, IC) and combined (WMIC) components of each task were identified. These sources were used to explain both collective and unique variance in WMIC functioning for each task. Different sources of variability explained independent (WM, IC) and combined (WMIC) performance across tasks. Unique and shared contributors within and across tasks (the color-word Stroop, the Fruit Stroop, the counting go/no-go and the Wisconsin Card Sort Test) and components (WM, IC, WMIC) are discussed in an effort to determine how sources of variability may be related to WMIC functioning. / Ph. D.

In adolescence, the use of cognitive reappraisal (CR) is adaptive for general emotion regulation and for decreasing symptoms of depression. Still, with all of the literature indicating the usefulness of CR, minimal research attempts to understand the childhood processes contributing to CR in adolescence. My dissertation study examined individual factors of executive function and frontal EEG asymmetry during late childhood, and environmental factors of parenting in adolescence, as predictors of adolescent CR and depressive symptoms. Data were from 123 participants in late childhood (age 10) and adolescence (age 14.5). During the late childhood visit, executive function and frontal EEG asymmetry were assessed. The adolescent visit included questionnaires for maternal CR, maternal supportive and unsupportive responses to adolescent's negative emotions, adolescent CR and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that maternal unsupportive reactions moderated the association between maternal CR and adolescent CR, such that higher unsupportive reactions were associated with higher adolescent CR when mothers reported higher CR. Higher CR in turn was associated with lower depressive symptoms. Regarding individual factors, frontal EEG asymmetry moderated the association between inhibitory control during late childhood and adolescent CR, such that better inhibitory control during late childhood was associated with higher CR when children had right frontal asymmetry. Higher CR was associated with lower depressive symptoms in adolescence. The results suggest the potential for targeting inhibitory control and parenting as two mechanisms for improving CR among adolescents to diminish depressive symptoms. / Doctor of Philosophy / Changing the way one thinks of an emotional event is considered highly adaptive, this strategy is referred to as cognitive reappraisal (CR). 123 participants during late childhood and adolescence and their mothers participated in this study. During the late childhood visit, children completed executive function tasks and electrical brain activity was collected during rest. For the adolescent visit, mothers completed questionnaires regarding their emotion regulation strategies and parenting styles, adolescents completed questionnaires regarding their own emotion regulation strategies and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that when mothers indicated more CR and higher unsupportive reactions this was associated with higher adolescent CR. Higher CR in turn was associated with lower depressive symptoms. Late childhood electrical brain activity and a child's ability to inhibit prepotent responses (inhibitory control) were associated with higher adolescent CR. Higher CR was associated with lower depressive symptoms in adolescence. The results suggest the potential for targeting inhibitory control and parenting as two mechanisms for improving CR among adolescents to diminish depressive symptoms.