Assessing executive function in relation to fitness to drive: A review of tools and their ability to predict safe driving

Abstract

Among the 53 tools, there were 27 general assessments of cognition, 19 driving-specific and seven activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living assessments. No single tool measured all executive function components: working memory was the most common (n = 20/53). Several tools demonstrated strong predictive validity and clinical utility. For example, tools, such as the Trail Making Test and the Maze Task, have the shortest administration time (i.e. often less than 10 minutes) and the most easily accessible method of administration (i.e. pen and paper or verbal). Driving-specific tools range from short questionnaires, such as the 10-minute Manchester Driving Behaviour Questionnaire, to more complex tools requiring about 45 minutes to administer. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: The appropriateness of a tool depends on the individual being assessed and on practical constraints of the clinical context. The Driving Executive Function Tool Guide provides useful information that should facilitate decision-making and selection of appropriate executive function tools in relation to driving.

Investigating the autonomic nervous system and cognitive functions as potential mediators of an association between cardiovascular disease and driving performance

“…This is consistent with the driving literature, which suggests that executive function is one of the more strongly correlated cognitive functions to driving (Anstey et al, 2005;Asimakopulos et al, 2011;Ranney, 1994). Executive function has been associated with driving outcome in several populations including young drivers, older adults, individuals with early-stage cognitive decline, multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's and dementia (Anstey et al, 2011;Barkley et al, 2002;Daigneault et al, 2002;Lafont et al, 2010;Lincoln et Radford, 2008;Mantyla et al, 2009;Marshall et al, 2007;Ranchet et al, 2011;Whelihan et al, 2005).…”

Association Between Executive Function and Problematic Adolescent Driving

“…Asimakopulos, Boychuck, Sondergaard, Poulin, Ménard, Korner-Bitensky 7 noted that clinicians are in need for quick, easy, and reliable measures to work in concert to assess overall cognitive functioning and how it relates to driving ability. No single measure of executive function, performance or self-report, adequately predicts all driving deficits or risky behavior to date.…”

“…Poorer executive function has repeatedly been connected with negative driving outcomes in older adults and clinical populations; however, this relationship has not been well investigated in adolescent drivers 2,3,7 despite continued brain development beyond adolescence. 8 Traditionally, executive function has been assessed through performance-based tasks, which involve using standardized assessments of specific cognitive processes or domains.…”

“…Performance-based executive function measures have their own set of limitations, such as varying operational definitions; construct validity and reliability issues, and tedious administration. 2,4,7 These methodological limitations along with the complexity of the driving environment may contribute to the lack of studies investigating executive function in teen adolescent driving. 3 Self-report measures are an alternative and possible supplement to performance-based measures of executive function.…”

Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Self-Report Form of Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult version (BRIEF-A)

“…This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits copy and redistribute the material just in noncommercial usages, provided the original work is properly cited. appropriate tool (15). Hence, validation of a tool that could be used for the general population seems necessary.…”