Trends and research patterns in executive function interventions for children and adolescents

Abstract

This bibliometric study analyzes the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and collaboration patterns of research on executive function interventions in children and adolescents between 2000 and 2026. A total of 692 documents retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection were analyzed using performance analysis and science mapping techniques with Bibliometrix. The findings indicate a steady and accelerated growth in scientific output, with an annual growth rate of 12.42%, particularly after 2015. The literature shows a clear developmental trajectory from early theoretical and measurement-focused studies to increasingly applied, intervention-oriented, and multidisciplinary research. Results reveal that the field is concentrated around a core set of journals, authors, and highly cited foundational studies, with strong influence from working memory and ADHD-related research. Thematic analysis shows that core constructs such as working memory, attention, self-regulation, and executive functions remain central, while newer themes including emotion regulation, physical activity, virtual reality, and network meta-analysis are emerging. These developments reflect a shift toward more mechanism-oriented and technologically supported intervention approaches. Co-authorship analysis indicates a globally collaborative but geographically uneven structure, with the United States, United Kingdom, and China serving as central hubs, while Europe forms regional clusters and other regions remain more peripheral. In conclusion, EF intervention research in children and adolescents is a rapidly growing and increasingly sophisticated field, moving toward more integrative, mechanism-based, and globally connected scientific frameworks.

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