The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self-Report version (BRIEF-SR) is the first self-report measure of executive functioning for adolescents. With the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act authorization, there is a greater need for appropriate assessment of severely impaired children. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of executive functioning as a component of a complete evaluation (D'Amato, Fletcher-Janzen, & Reynolds, 2005). The BRIEF-SR aids in the diagnosis and treatment of problems related to executive functioning. Due to the brief nature of the form, it can be administered without adding significant time to the assessment process and should take about 15 min to complete. In fact, the self-report nature of this measure allows for the form to be completed away from a typical testing setting. The structure of the test allows for the collection of valuable information in a short period of time.
General DescriptionThe BRIEF-SR is a standardized self-report measure of executive functioning for individuals aged 11 through 18 years who have a fifth-grade or better reading level. Because the test items are related to potential problems with organization, planning, and attention, the results provide valuable ecological insight that can help understand issues occurring at home and at school. The BRIEF-SR can even be used by those with "attentional disorders, language disorders, traumatic brain injury, lead exposure, learning disabilities, high functioning autism spectrum disorders, and medical conditions" (Guy, Isquith, & Gioia, 2004, p. 1).Organization and administration. The organization of the BRIEF-SR is similar to the Brief Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF; Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2000), which serves as the developmental basis for the BRIEF-SR. The original BRIEF released in 2000 and completed by parents or teachers appears quite promising. Indeed, recent research suggests that it is able to discriminate between groups of children ages 6 to 12 with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Palencia, Wochos, D'Amato, & Allen, 2005). The BRIEF-SR is composed of 80 items that fit into eight nonoverlapping clinical scales that measure aspects of executive functioning. The Inhibit Scale measures "inhibitory control and the ability to stop one's own behavior." The Shift Scale is a representation of the client's ability to move between activities and problems. The Emotional Control Scale assesses "the manifestation of executive functions within the emotional realm" and the "adolescent's ability to modulate emotional responses." The way an "adolescent keeps track of the effect that his or her behavior has on others" is measured by the Monitor Scale. Working Memory measures the "capacity to actively hold information in mind for the purpose of