Using Virtual Environments in the Assessment of Executive Dysfunction

Abstract

A study is reported into the role of virtual environments in the assessment of patients with executive dysfunction. Five patients and five matched controls entered the study. The patients did not differ significantly from normative values on the standard executive dysfunction measure, the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome battery (Wilson, Alderman, Burgess, Emslie, & Evans, 1996); however, care staff reported the patients had problems planning. Patients and controls undertook both real and virtual environment multiple-errand planning tasks. The patients completed significantly fewer errands, and produced significantly worse plans than did controls in both the real and virtual environments. There was a significant correlation between performance in the real and virtual environments. The results suggest that virtual environments may provide a valid means of assessing planning impairments and that there may be patients with executive dysfunction (specifically planning deficits) that may not be detected by the currently available standardized tests.

Investigating Multitasking in High-Functioning Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders Using the Virtual Errands Task

“…A Toshiba F10 Quosmio laptop was installed with the VET (McGeorge et al, 2001) which was built using Superscape 3D Webmaster and run using Superscape Visualiser.…”

“…the Modified Six Elements Task and Battersea Multitask Paradigm) to illuminate the process of multitasking and so view how/why it might break-down. Accordingly, we used the Virtual Errands Test (VET; McGeorge et al, 2001) which is similar to the Virtual Multiple Errands Test (Rand, Rukan, Weiss & Katz, 2009a;Rand, Weiss & Katz, 2009b) in which real world-type errands had to be completed in a virtual environment. Multitasking in a virtual environment has not, hitherto, been used to test individuals with ASD.…”

“…Multitasking in a virtual environment has not, hitherto, been used to test individuals with ASD. McGeorge et al (2001) designed the VET to compare five Dysexecutive patients and five matched controls virtual and real-life Multiple Errands Test performance in an office building. The tasks were a series of simple office-type errands (e.g.…”

“…Thereby suggesting that the VET was just as sensitive to dysexecutive impairment as the real-world version. Our study used essentially the same virtual environment as McGeorge et al (2001), but with the office environment transformed into a school and with tasks appropriate for a school teacher. This was done to make the tasks as comprehensible as possible for the school children participants who were asked to run errands for their teacher.…”

Using game authoring platforms to develop screen-based simulated functional assessments in persons with executive dysfunction following traumatic brain injury

“…For instance, McGeorge et al [76] developed a virtual environment to specifically assess planning deficits in patients with EDF. The task consists of participants completing a list of errands on three floors of a department of psychology.…”