A Protocol for A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cultural Differences and Similarities in Executive Function in Children and Adolescents

Background: Executive function (EF) is a key predictor of children’s academic achievement, self-regulation, and social competence. Although a substantial body of research has examined cultural differences in children’s EF performance, findings remain mixed and are often based on narrow East–West comparisons. Emerging evidence suggests that observed differences may reflect variation in task demands, testing contexts, and measurement practices rather than fixed cognitive disparities. To date, however, no comprehensive quantitative synthesis has systematically examined both between- and within-cultural variation in young people’s task-based EF performance across cultures. Method: This protocol outlines a systematic review and meta-analysis of cultural differences and similarities in EF among typically developing children and adolescents. Studies will be identified through searches of major electronic databases and screened according to PRISMA guidelines. Only performance-based EF tasks assessing inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, overall cool EF or hot EF (e.g., delay of gratification) will be included. Studies will be classified into six cultural regions—Western, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Southern and Eastern Asian, Sub-Saharan African, and Latin American—using an established multidimensional framework. Standardized mean differences will be synthesized using multilevel structural equation modeling meta-analysis. Moderator analyses will examine whether EF differences vary as a function of age, gender composition, socioeconomic status, assessment paradigms, and year of data collection/publication. Publication bias will be assessed. Discussion: By moving beyond binary cultural classifications and integrating evidence across regions, EF domains, and developmental periods, this meta-analysis will clarify the magnitude, consistency, and sources of cross-cultural variation in children’s EF performance. The findings will inform debates on cultural differences versus similarities in cognitive development, identify key moderators shaping EF outcomes, and highlight gaps in the existing literature, thereby advancing cross-cultural developmental science.