Final answer:
Children who had more ability to maintain focused attention and persisted when faced with difficulty were likely to have higher levels of academic success and achievement.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a longitudinal study, parents rated their 4-year-old child's attention span. Children who had more ability to maintain focused attention and persisted when faced with difficulty were likely to have higher levels of academic success and achievement.
This finding aligns with previous research conducted by psychologist Angela Duckworth, who found that grit and perseverance were better predictors of academic success than talent or IQ.
For example, in Bandura's Bobo doll study, children who watched an aggressive model were more likely to imitate the aggressive behavior when they were later left alone with the doll and other toys. This suggests that children who are able to maintain focused attention and persist in the face of difficulty may also be more likely to imitate positive behaviors that lead to academic success.