The Relationship Between Parental Report on the BRIEF and Performance-Based Measures of Executive Function in Children with Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) is a questionnaire that assesses parental observations of behaviors associated with executive function in children in the home environment. The current investigation examines the relationship between the BRIEF and individually-administered neuropsychological tests in children with traumatic brain injury. Forty-eight children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were administered the WISC-III and several performance-based tests of executive function (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Trail Making Test Part B, verbal fluency), and a parent completed the BRIEF. Results indicate that the Metacognition Index from the BRIEF correlates with Verbal IQ, but none of the index scores from the BRIEF correlate with any of the performance-based tests of executive function. Results are discussed with respect to the ecological validity of standardized clinical neuropsychological tests of executive function.

Ecological assessment of executive dysfunction in the psychosis prodrome: A pilot study

“…Although counterintuitive, these cognitive tests were not designed to measure EF as reflected by everyday behavior. Our findings are consistent with prior work in other clinical populations (Gioia & Isquith, 2004,Mahone et al, 2002,Vriezen & Pigott, 2002, as these studies have demonstrated that deficits on performance-based measures of EF are not correlated with BRIEF ratings of behavioral dysfunction.…”

“…It has been suggested that the BRIEF provides an ecologically valid assessment of a child's behavior as it relates to EF, and is therefore more useful in predicting performance in activities of daily living. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the BRIEF may be more sensitive to certain types of executive deficits in children and adolescents that are not well captured by performance-based measures administered in a structured environment (Gioia & Isquith, 2004,Mahone et al, 2002,Vriezen & Pigott, 2002. The BRIEF may prove helpful in treatment planning that is focused on improving performance in individuals' real-world functioning.…”

“…Elevated BRIEF scores have been reported in children with psychiatric and neurological disorders typically associated with deficits on performance-based measures of EF, such as attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, and Tourette's Syndrome (Gioia & Isquith, 2004,Mahone et al, 2002,Vriezen & Pigott, 2002.…”

Everyday psychological functioning in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: does executive functioning play a role?

“…Previous research has demonstrated low correlations between cognitive and behavioural measures of executive functioning among children with early-treated hydrocephalus and focal frontal-lobe lesions 35 and traumatic brain injury. 35,36 Differences in cognitive executive functioning were found to mediate the effects of group differences on the SDQ conduct and hyperactivity subscales. Again, this was the case when comparing the left-sided unilateral CP group with the CTD, and the right-sided unilateral CP group with the CTD.…”

Executive functioning in childhood epilepsy: parent‐report and cognitive assessment

“…The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) 10 was developed as a standardized parent-rated measure intended to assess eight domains of EF. The BRIEF has been used to assess EF in several pediatric samples, including traumatic brain injury, 11,12 attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 13 hydrocephalus, 14 and autism. 15,16 The BRIEF differs from other parent and teacher report measures, such as the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) which is a frequently used parent-report measure of both broad (e.g.…”