Funciones ejecutivas en estudiantes de secundaria: Análisis diferencial por sexo y curso

Executive functions (EF) are a set of essential cognitive skills that allow people to self-regulate their behavior and achieve goals effectively. Although this phenomenon has long been studied, there are few articles that analyze gender differences across academic stages Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine EF of students in Compulsory Secondary Education and 1st year of High School (ages 12 - 17 years) and to analyze differences based on grade level and gender. A total of 1,164 Spanish adolescents (559 males) aged 12-17 years were assessed using the Adolescent and Adult Executive Functioning Questionnaire (ADEXI). Analyses revealed statistically significant differences in EF by gender, with females obtaining more difficulties in all subscales evaluated (Inhibitory control and Working memory) and the total score. In addition, an improvement in EF with age was observed, with students in higher grades showing better performance. Understanding differences in EF across different ages and genders has important practical implications. The child and adolescent population could benefit from these findings not only in the academic field, where teaching methods could be adapted to meet specific needs, but also as a useful tool in clinical practice, especially in populations with neurodevelopmental disorders.