Pieces of evidences of reliability of the Brazilian version of the Child Executive Functions Battery (CEF-B)

Guerra, Amanda; Hazin, Izabel; Roulin, Jean-Luc; Gall, Didier Le; Roy, Arnaud

doi:10.1186/s41155-021-00171-2

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Research • Psicol. Reflex. Crit. 34 • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-021-00171-2 copy

Pieces of evidences of reliability of the Brazilian version of the Child Executive Functions Battery (CEF-B)

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Executive dysfunctions are central symptoms in different neurological, developmental, and context-related conditions. The assessment of these functions is then essential in neuropsychological pediatric clinical practice. Given the need for reliable and valid evaluation batteries for clinical practice in Brazil, this study aimed to present the pieces of evidences of reliability of the Child Executive Functions Battery (CEF-B). A total of 230 Brazilian children with typical development aged between 7 and 12 years participated in the study. Internal consistency was determined by the split-half method, Cronbach's α, and Ω. In addition, measurements of test-retest reliability and intraclass coefficient were also performed. Retest indicators were mostly weak and moderate (between .43 and .75). Overvall, coefficients show a satisfactory internal consistency reliability for planning and inhibition measures (between .72 and .92). Considering the measures of WM, results were also satisfactory for both α and Ω indexes. This study revealed that the CEF-B has satisfactory internal consistency reliability coefficients. However, several tests have shown low reliability assessed through the test-retest method. In general, findings reveal interesting pieces of initial evidence of reliability of the Brazilian version. The methodological approach could be improved in future studies by including children with executive disorders.

Keywords:
Executive functions; Child; Neuropsychological assessment

		Descriptive
N		230
Age mean (SD)		9.95 (1.65)
Age range		7–12
Gender (%)
	Girls	116 (50.4)
	Boys	114 (49.6)
Type of school (%)
	Public	116 (50.4)
	Private	114 (49.6)

	Tests	Description/objective	Proposals for measurement errors and methodological biases control
Inhibition	Stroop	Consists of ignoring the reading of colored words written with non-congruent printing ink (for example, “blue” written in red), to focus on the color of the ink (interfering condition)	– Preliminary control conditions (naming and reading) – Unlimited time, no mistake correction, consideration of time, and errors
	Tapping	Tap or not on the table depending on what the examiner is doing: (1) Go/no go: respond if the examiner types once and inhibit if he types twice. (2) Conflict: antagonistic conditioning (tap once if the examiner taps twice and vice versa) while incorporating a new No go condition (do not tap if the examiner taps with two fingers)	– Preliminary phase of simple conditioning (repeat a motor action in echo)
	Cross-out Joe	Identify and cross out a visual target (Joe) among several morphologically similar distractors	– Evaluate inhibition in a long-term task
Working memory	Verbal updating	Sequentially recall the most recent elements (the last three or four) of a series of letters of varying length	– Task adjusted to span capacities. – Variation in the amount of information to be updated to control the executive load (contrasted with items where no update is required)
	Visuospatial updating	Sequentially recall the most recent items (the last three or four) touched in a series of blocks of varying length
	Dual task	Simultaneously perform a figure span task and a visuomotor clown head crossing test	– Preliminary execution of both tasks individually – Task adjusted to span capacities
Flexibility	Trail Making Test (TMT)	Connect circles on a sheet of paper that contain numbers or letters, alternating numeric and alphabetical order (1-A-2-B…).	– Control of numerical and alphabetical chain mastery, visual exploration and perceptual-motor skills in two preliminary parts (numbers then letters, respectively)
	Kids Cards Sorting Test (KCST)	Initiate, maintain and change the ranking rule of a series of 48 test cards according to 4 target cards that vary in three dimensions (form, color, number), based on the examiner's feedback	– Only cards that are unambiguous regarding the pairing with the target cards are used – The rules are presented to the child, which reduces the possibility of not understanding the categories
	Frog test	The child must deduce the logical rules according to which a frog moves around several water lilies disposed in a lake. The child must also adapt to the actions of the frog, which changes the movement rule without previous warning.	– Random and variable rule change to make the test less predictable
Planning	Scripts	The child must put in order a sequence of phrases, elaborating a coherent script according to a given title and disconsidering those that are not relevant (intruders)	– New task created to evaluate the child's ability to anticipate the order necessary for the execution of a daily action
	Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF)	Copy the ROCF spontaneously and progressively recopy the figure according to a program consisting of five successive stages of different colors.	– Measurement of the facilitating effect of copying with the program in contrast to spontaneous copying – Rigorous and objective instructions for the evaluation of the precision and location of the figure elements
	8 Mazes	The test comprises eight mazes of increasing difficulty. For each maze, a dinosaur has to find its way out. The test requires the child to draw, with a pencil, the path connecting the starting point to the maze's exit.	– Consider time and error

EF	Test	Variable	N	Test		Retest		t	r_xx
EF	Test	Variable	N	M	SD	M	SD	t	r_xx
Inhibition	Stroop	Time	28	92.9	54.3	67.7	55.7	1.94	.53
		Error		3.1	3.7	1.7	2.9	1.86	.50
	Tapping	Go/No-Go Time	31	6.7	11.3	3.1	8.1	1.54	.18
		Go/No-Go Error		1.3	2.0	0.8	1.1	1.30	.43
		Conflict Time		22.2	13.4	24.2	30.2	–.02	.44
		Conflict Error		2.4	2.8	1.9	2.0	1.31	.43
Working memory	Dual task	Evolution digit span	31	101.1	54.4	99.2	36.3	.58	.57
		Evolution clowns		96.1	13.2	102.1	13.8	1.73	.23
		Mu Score		98.6	30.2	100.7	19	–.04	.56
Flexibility	TMT	Flexibility index	28	38.4	41.9	41.4	54	1.42	.27
	KCST	Time	30	227.9	68,2	214,8	75.9	.76	.60
		Categories		2.9	1.2	3.6	1.6	–2.37	.59
		Perseverations		7.5	4.8	5.5	4.3	2.71	.75
	Frog test	Time	30	262.8	88	216	63.7	2.97	.43
		Score		52.6	9.8	55.7	9.7	–2.53	.70

EF	Test	Variables	N	rxx	alpha	ωt	ICC
Planning	Scripts	Time	171	–	.86	.86	–
	8 Mazes	Time	221	.76	.83	.83	–
		Errors	221	.86	.86	.87	–
	ROCF	Spontaneous copy	207	–	–	–	.92
		Copy with program	207	–	–	–	.86
		Planning index	207	–	–	–	.89
Working Memory	Updating tasks	Verbal updating	150	–	.82	.84	–
		Visuospatial updating	195	–	.85	.86	–
Inhibition	Cross-out Joe	Correlation A-B	184	.77	–	–	–
		Correlation B-A	29	.71	–	–	–

Curso de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600 - sala 110, 90035-003 Porto Alegre RS - Brazil, Tel.: +55 51 3308-5691 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil
E-mail: prc@springeropen.com

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] * Correspondence: adlbguerra@hotmail.com