The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions evaluates executive functioning through the observation of students’ performance in real contexts. Most psychometric studies of the scale have only tested the first-order structure, despite the hierarchical configuration of its theoretical model. A bifactor model was conducted on a normative sample of 5- to 18-year-old Chileans (M age = 11.3 years, SD = 3.7) to test a hierarchical structure of three first-order factors and an independent second-order factor. Bifactor analyses showed best fit for the proposed hierarchical structure. Findings supported a method to evaluate executive functioning models that provides a general global factor score that may complement existing indices and thus help clinicians to make better inferences.
AllowayT.GathercoleS.HolmesJ.PlaceM.ElliotJ.HiltonK. (2009) The diagnostic utility of behavioral checklists in identifying children with ADHD and children with working memory deficits. Child Psychiatry and Human Development40(3): 353–366. doi:10.1007/s10578-009-0131-3.
2.
ArangoO.PuertaI.PinedaD. (2008) Estructura Factorial de la Función Ejecutiva desde el Dominio Conductual. Revista Diversitas–Perspectivas en Psicología4: 63–77.
3.
BaddeleyA. (2012) Working memory: Theories, models, and controversies. Annual Review of Psychology63(1): 1–29. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100422.
4.
BakarE.TanerY.SoysalA.KarakasS. T.TurgayA. (2011) Behavioral rating inventory and laboratory tests measure different aspects of executive functioning in boys: A validity study. Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology21(4): 302–316. doi:10.5455/BCP.20111004014003.
5.
BarkleyR.FischerM. (2011) Predicting impairment in major life activities and occupational functioning in hyperactive children as adults: Self-reported executive function (EF) deficits versus EF tests. Developmental Neuropsychology36(2): 137–161. doi:10.1080/87565641.2010.549877.
6.
BecharaA.DamasioH.DamasioA.LeeG. (1999) Different contributions of the human amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex to decision-making. The Journal of Neuroscience19(13): 4473–5481.
7.
BurgessP.VeitchE.de Lacy CostelloA.ShalliceT. (2000) The cognitive and neuroanatomical correlates of multitasking. Neuropsychologia38(6): 848–863. doi:10.1016/s0028-3932(99)00134-7.
8.
CohenJ. (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences, 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.
9.
ConnersK. (2005) Conners Teacher rating scale-revised-short, New York, NY: Multi-Health Systems Inc.
10.
ChanR.ShumD.ToulopoulouT.ChenE. (2008) Assessment of executive functions: Review of instruments and identification of critical issues. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology23(2): 201–216. doi:10.1016/j.acn.2007.08.010.
11.
ChenF.WestS.SousaK. (2006) A comparison of bifactor and second-order models of quality of life. Multivariate Behavioral Research41(2): 189–225. doi:10.1207/s15327906mbr4102_5.
12.
DamasioA. (2005) En busca de Spinoza. Neurobiología de la emoción y los sentimientos, Barcelona, Spain: Crítica.
13.
DettermanD. (1982) Does “g” exist?Intelligence6: 66–108. doi:10.1016/0160-2896(82)90008-3.
14.
EgelandJ.FallmyrØ. (2010) Confirmatory factor analysis of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF): Support for a distinction between emotional and behavioral regulation. Child Neuropsychology16(4): 326–337. doi:10.1080/09297041003601462.
15.
GarcíaT.González-PiendaJ. A.RodríguezC.ÁlvarezD.ÁlvarezL. (2014) Psychometric characteristics of the BRIEF scale for the assessment of executive functions in Spanish clinical population. Psicothema26: 47–52. doi:10.7334/psicothema2013.149.
16.
GioiaG. A.EspyK. A.IsquithP. K. (2003) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool version, Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
17.
GioiaG.IsquithP. (2002) Two faces of monitor: Thy self and thy task (Abstract). Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society8: 229.
18.
GuyS.IsquithP.GioiaG. (2004) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self-report version (BRIEF-SR), Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
19.
GioiaG.IsquithP.GuyS.KenworthyL. (2000) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function manual, Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
20.
GioiaG.IsquithP.KenealyL. (2008) Assessment of the behavioral aspects of executive function. In: AndersonV.JacobsR.AndersonP. (eds) Executive functions and the frontal lobes. A lifespan perspective, New York, NY: Taylor & Francis, pp. 179–202.
21.
GioiaG.IsquithP.RetzlaffP.EspyK. (2002) Confirmatory factor analysis of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in a clinical sample. Child Neuropsychology8(4): 249–257. doi:10.1076/chin.8.4.249.13513.
22.
GioiaG.KenworthyL.IsquithP. (2010) Executive function in the real world: BRIEF lessons from Mark Ylvisaker. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation25: 433–439. doi:10.1097/HTR.0b013e3181fbc272.
23.
GrafmanJ.LitvanI. (1999) Importance of deficits in executive functions. Lancet354(9194): 1921–1923. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(99)90438-5.
24.
GuyS.IsquithP.GioiaG. (2004) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self-report version (BRIEF-SR), Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
25.
HarmanH. (1976) Modern factor analysis, Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
26.
HolzingerK.SwinefordS. (1937) The Bi-factor method. Psychometrika47: 41–54.
27.
HuL. T.BentlerP. M. (1999) Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling6(1): 1–55. doi:10.1080/10705519909540118.
28.
HuizingaM.SmidtsD. (2011) Age-related changes in executive function: A normative study with the dutch version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Child Neuropsychology17: 51–66. doi:10.1080/09297049.2010.509715.
29.
IBM SPSS Statistic (2011) IBM SPSS Statistic program, version 19 statistical software packages, New York, NY: IBM Corporation.
JarrattK.RiccioC.SiekierskiB. (2005) Assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using the BASC and BRIEF. Applied Neuropsychology. Special Issue: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Neuropsychology12(2): 83–93. doi:10.1207/s15324826an1202_4.
32.
JennrichR. I.BentlerP. M. (2012) Exploratory bi-factor analysis: The oblique case. Psychometrika77(3): 442–454. doi:10.1007/s11336-012-9269-1.
33.
KlineR. B. (2005) Principles and practice of structural equation modeling, New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
34.
LezakM. (1982) The problem of assessing executive functions. International Journal Psychology17: 281–297. doi:10.1080/00207598208247445.
35.
LuriaA. (1984) El cerebro en acción, Barcelona, Spain: Editorial Martínez Roca.
36.
MahoneE.HagelthornK.CuttingL.SchuerzholzL.PelletierS.RawlinsC.DencklaM. (2002) Effects of IQ on executive function measures in children with ADHD. Child Neuropsychology8(1): 52–65. doi:10.1076/chin.8.1.52.8719.
37.
McCloskeyG.PerkinsL. A. (2012) Essentials of Executive Functions Assessment, New York, NY: Wiley.
38.
MiyakeA.FriedmanN.EmersonM.WitzkiA.HowerterA.WagerT. (2000) The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex x ‘frontal Lobe’ tasks: A latent variable analysis. Cognitive Psychology41: 49–100. doi:10.1006/cogp.1999.0734.
39.
MuthénL.MuthénB. (2013) Mplus: Statistical analysis with latent variables. User's Guide (Version 7.11), Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.
40.
NormanD.ShalliceT. (1986) Attention to action: Willed and automatic control of behavior. In: DavidsonR.SchwartzG.ShapiroD. (eds) Consciousness and self-regulation, New York, NY: Editorial Plenumm Press, pp. 1–18.
41.
PenningtonB.OzonoffS. (1996) Executive functions and developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry37(1): 51–87. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01380.x.
42.
PosnerM.PetersenS. (1990) The attention system of the human brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience13: 25–42.
43.
ReiseS. (2012) The rediscovery of bifactor measurement models. Multivariate Behavioral Research47(5): 667–696. doi:10.1080/00273171.2012.715555.
44.
ReiseS.MooreT.HavilandM. (2010) Bifactor models and rotations: Exploring the extent to which multidimensional data yield univocal scale scores. Journal of Personality Assessment92(6): 544–550. doi:10.1080/00223891.2010.496477.
45.
ReynoldsC.HortonA. (2008) Assessing executive functions: A life-span perspective. Psychology in the Schools45(9): 875–892. doi:10.1002/pits.20332.
46.
ReynoldsC. R.KamphausR. W. (2002) The clinicians guide to the behavior assessment system for children. Child Neuropsychology9(3): 234–236. doi:10.1076/chin.9.3.234.16453.
47.
RothR. M.IsquithP. K.GioiaG. A. (2005) BRIEF-A: Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function—Adult Version, Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
48.
RothR. M.LanceC. E.IsquithP. K.FischerA. S.GiancolaP. R. (2013) Confirmatory factor analysis of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-adult version in healthy adults and application to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology28: 425–434. doi:10.1093/arclin/act031.
49.
SteigerJ. H. (2007) Understanding the limitations of global fit assessment in structural equation modeling. Personality and Individual Differences42(5): 893–898. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2006.09.017.
50.
ToplakM.BucciarelliS.JainU.TannockR. (2009) Executive functions: Performance-based measures and the behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF) in adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Child Neuropsychology15(1): 53–72. doi:10.1080/09297040802070929.
51.
WilliamsJ. R. (2008) Revising the declaration of Helsinki. World Medical Journal54(4): 120–122.
52.
YungY.ThissenD.McLeodL. D. (1999) On the relationship between the higher order factor model and the hierarchical factor model. Psychometrika64(2): 113–128. doi:10.1007/bf02294531.
