Human Ecology Research

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
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Serial Dual Mediating Effects of Preschoolers' Executive Functions and Counterfactual Thinking on Relationship between Maternal Reflective Functioning and Preschoolers' Higher-order Thinking

어머니의 반영기능과 유아의 상위수준 사고 간의 관계에서 유아의 실행기능과 반사실적 사고의 순차적 이중매개효과

  • Lee, Yoonjeong (Major in Child & Family Studies, School of Child Studies, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Lim, Jiyoung (Major in Child & Family Studies, School of Child Studies, Kyungpook National University)
  • 이윤정 (경북대학교 아동가족학전공) ;
  • 임지영 (경북대학교 아동가족학전공)
  • Received : 2019.04.29
  • Accepted : 2020.02.19
  • Published : 2020.05.30
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Abstract

This study examined the dual mediating effects of preschoolers' executive function and counterfactual thinking in the relationship between maternal reflective functioning and preschoolers' higher-order thinking. Participants included 293 preschoolers and their mothers in Daegu city and Gyeongsang province. The mothers completed questionnaires regarding their reflective functioning, preschoolers' executive function, and creative thinking. Teachers completed questionnaires regarding preschoolers' critical thinking and caring thinking. Preschoolers' counterfactual thinking was measured by interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis with SPSS 25.0. Path analysis and bootstrapping were used with AMOS 25.0 program. Also, specific indirect effect were analyzed using AMOS user-defined estimand function. The primary results of this study are as follows. Maternal reflective functioning had an indirect effect on preschoolers' critical thinking and caring thinking through preschoolers' executive function and counterfactual thinking; however, maternal reflective functioning had no indirect effect on preschoolers' creative thinking through preschoolers' executive function and counterfactual thinking. This study revealed that maternal reflective functioning and preschoolers' executive function and counterfactual thinking need to be considered simultaneously to explain the level of preschoolers' higher-order thinking. The results highlight the dual mediating effects of preschoolers' executive function and counterfactual thinking in the relationship between maternal reflective functioning and preschoolers' higher-order thinking.

Keywords

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