Early Literacy, Parenting Style, and Executive Function Development in Thai Preschool Children

Executive function (EF) is essential for lifelong success, supporting self-regulation, emotional control, behavioral flexibility, and goal-directed behavior. Early childhood is a critical period for EF development, during which routines, hands-on activities, and early literacy experiences—such as shared book reading—may play important roles. Parenting style also influences EF by shaping opportunities for practice, interaction, and guided learning. This study examined the associations among early literacy, parenting style, and EF development in Thai preschool children aged 3–5 years (N = 91), acknowledging cultural contexts that may differ from Western settings. In this cross-sectional study, parents completed the Parenting Style Questionnaire and the MU.EF-101 questionnaire to provide indirect assessments of children’s EF. Early literacy experiences at home were evaluated using the STIMQ–Preschool through caregiver interviews, while children’s EF was directly assessed using task-based measures from the Early Years Toolbox. Results indicated that early literacy, particularly shared book reading, was not significantly associated with EF development. In contrast, parenting style showed a strong and consistent relationship with EF outcomes. Children raised by caregivers who endorsed an authoritative parenting style demonstrated significantly higher EF scores across multiple domains than those exposed to authoritarian, permissive, or neglectful styles. These findings suggest that early literacy activities alone may be insufficient to support EF development in the Thai context. Policies and interventions should therefore emphasize authoritative parenting practices—characterized by warmth, structure, and responsive guidance—alongside high-quality, interactive early literacy experiences to promote executive function in early childhood.