Characterizing developing executive functions in the first 1000 days in South Africa and Malawi: The Khula Study

Abstract

The term ‘executive functions’ (EFs) refers to a set of skills that support flexible control over thought and action. Classic EFs (working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility) do not show measurable stable function until after the third year of life and continue to develop into early adulthood. However, even at the earliest ages, these EFs are shown to have value for predicting school readiness and academic achievement. They continue to have predictive value for success, mental health, and general well-being across the lifespan including in ageing populations. As such, understanding the developing brain and cognitive developmental dynamics that set the stage for the development of EFs, in the first three years of life, is crucial for developing programming that supports healthy EFs development. The goal of this manuscript is to describe the goals, hypotheses, participant populations, and methodology of the Khula Study. Khula is a multi-modal multi-site longitudinal birth cohort study designed to characterise emerging EFs in the first 1000 days of life in global majority settings. Most research to date has been conducted in highincome countries rather than low- and middle-income countries that comprise most of the world’s child population. We assert that understanding and supporting EF development has global importance, but this must be done with the understanding that EFs are skills that develop within the context of adaptation to one’s environment. As such, the Khula Study aims to understand which EF influences are common across cultures but also which are culture specific. We will address these questions by incorporating data from South Africa and Malawi to understand influences on EF development and outcomes for children living in these contexts. We enrolled 394 mothers (84% antenatally) from Gugulethu in Cape Town, South Africa and 507 mothers (42% antenatally) from Blantyre, Malawi.