Confirmatory factor analysis of the BRIEF2 in a sample of youth with Down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The factor structure of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, second edition (BRIEF2) has been widely examined in both typically developing children and specific clinical samples. Despite the frequent use of the BRIEF2 for measuring executive functioning in individuals with Down syndrome, no study has investigated the factorial validity or dimensionality of the BRIEF2 in this population. This study aimed to address this notable gap in the literature. METHODS: Parents of 407 children and youth with Down syndrome aged 6-18 years completed the BRIEF2 as part of different studies led by six sites. Three competing models proposed by previous studies were analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis: the theoretical structure of the BRIEF2 where the scales were constrained to load on three factors labelled as Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Regulation, a two-factor correlated model with the merged Behavioral and Emotional regulation, and a single-factor model. RESULTS: The three-factor model provided a better fit than the one- and two-factor models, yet a large correlation was observed between Behavioural and Emotional regulation factors. The results provide meaningful explanatory value for the theoretical structure of the BRIEF2. However, the Behavioral and Emotional regulation factors might be less differentiated and the two-factor structure of the BRIEF2 may also make theoretical and empirical sense. CONCLUSIONS: Although more studies are needed to further examine the factor structure of the BRIEF2 in youth with Down syndrome, this investigation provides preliminary support for the interpretation of the three executive function index scores provided by the BRIEF2: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Regulation.

Improved everyday executive functioning following profound reduction in seizure frequency with fenfluramine: Analysis from a phase 3 long-term extension study in children/young adults with Dravet syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with Dravet syndrome (DS) experience frequent pharmacoresistant seizures beginning in infancy. Most exhibit poor neurodevelopmental outcomes including motor function difficulties, behavior problems, and cognitive impairment. Cognitive deficits in children with DS have been associated with seizure frequency and antiseizure medication (ASM) use. Recent research in children and young adults with DS has begun to examine the role of executive functions (EFs), as these include higher-order cognitive functions and may mediate the relationship between risk factors and cognitive impairment. Current conceptualizations, however, of EFs involve the broader self-regulation of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional domains. We explored relationships between reduction in convulsive seizure frequency and everyday EFs in a subset of children and young adults with DS treated with adjunctive fenfluramine for 1 year. METHODS: This is a post-hoc analysis of data from children and young adults with Dravet syndrome aged 5-18 years who participated in a phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (core study) followed by completion of at least 1 year of fenfluramine treatment in an open-label extension (OLE) study. Eligible children and young adults started the OLE study at 0.2 mg/kg/day fenfluramine and were titrated to optimal seizure control and tolerability (maximum daily dose: 26 mg/day). Parents/caregivers documented convulsive seizure frequency per 28 days (i.e., monthly convulsive seizure frequency [MCSF]) by electronic diary. A parent/caregiver for each child also completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF®) parent form, a questionnaire capturing parents'/caregivers' perceptions of everyday EF that was included as a safety measure to assess treatment-related adverse effects on EF during the trial. Ratings on BRIEF® were mapped to the current edition, the BRIEF®2 parent form, and were used to calculate T-scores for the Behavior Regulation Index (BRI), Emotion Regulation Index (ERI), Cognitive Regulation Index (CRI), and Global Executive Composite (GEC). Change in BRIEF®2 T-scores from baseline in the core study to Year 1 of the OLE study was calculated. Spearman's rho correlation coefficients assessed associations between change in BRIEF®2 indexes/composite T-scores and percentage change in MCSF. Children and young adults were divided into 2 groups based on percentage of MCSF reduction achieved from pre-randomization baseline in the core study to Year 1 of the OLE study: <50% and ≥50% MCSF reduction. Changes in the distribution of BRIEF®2 indexes/composite T-scores were compared between MCSF reduction groups using Mann-Whitney U tests. The proportions of children and young adults in these groups who showed clinically meaningful improvement in everyday EF, defined as Reliable Change Index (RCI) values ≥95% certainty relative to a reference population of neurotypically developing healthy volunteers, were then assessed by cross-tabulations and Somers' D tests (p ≤ 0.05). When there was a significant meaningful improvement in an index score, post-hoc analyses using the same statistical methods were conducted to evaluate the individual BRIEF®2 scales composing that index. Supplemental analyses examined the proportions of patients in MCSF reduction groups <25% and ≥75% who achieved clinically meaningful improvement or worsening in everyday EF using RCI values ≥95% certainty and ≥80% certainty, respectively, relative to the reference population. RESULTS: At the time of analysis, 58 children and young adults (mean age: 11 ±â€¯4 years) had reached OLE Year 1 of fenfluramine treatment with a 75% median percentage reduction in seizure frequency from pre-randomization baseline. Overall, there was a significant correlation between change in MCSF and change in BRIEF®2 T-scores for ERI (p = 0.008), but not for BRI, CRI, or GEC (p > 0.05). At OLE Year 1, 78% (n = 45) of total children/young adults had ≥50% MCSF reduction (50% [n = 29] achieved ≥75% MCSF reduction) and 22% (n = 13) of total children/young adults had <50% MCSF reduction (12% [n = 7] showed <25% MCSF reduction). The ≥50% MCSF reduction group was significantly more likely to achieve clinically meaningful improvement (RCI ≥ 95% certainty) in ERI (p = 0.002) and in CRI (p = 0.001) than the <50% MCSF reduction group. There were no significant differences in the proportions of children and young adults in the 2 MCSF reduction groups showing clinically meaningful worsening (RCI ≥ 80% certainty) on the BRIEF®2 indexes/composite. SIGNIFICANCE: In children and young adults with DS, the magnitude of reduction in MCSF after long-term treatment with adjunctive fenfluramine was associated with clinically meaningful levels of improvement in everyday EF. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of children and young adults treated with adjunctive fenfluramine for 1 year in the OLE study achieved ≥50% reduction in MCSF, for a magnitude of efficacy associated with a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing clinically meaningful improvement in emotion regulation and cognitive regulation.

Food addiction, executive function and mood in adolescents with obesity seeking treatment.

BACKGROUND: The relationships between food addiction, executive functions and mood in adolescence are not well-understood. This study examines differences in executive functioning, depression symptoms and perceived stress among adolescents with obesity with- and without food addiction. METHODS: A total of 110 adolescents with obesity (74 females; age = 15.59 ± 1.3 y; 67% Hispanic; 74% public insurance) completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF-2), the Yale Food Addiction Scale for children (YFAS-c), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-DC). Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to evaluate differences in BRIEF-2, CES-DC and PSS scores between participants with and without food addiction. A logistic regression model assessed the associations between executive dysfunction, depression and stress on food addiction individually. Multiple logistic regression was utilized to further examine the association between executive dysfunction and food addiction when accounting for depression and stress. RESULTS: More than a third of participants (34.5%) met the criteria for food addiction. Females were 2.89 times more likely than males to have food addiction (95th%CI = 1.12-7.46, p = 0.03). Participants with FA had significantly higher BRIEF-2 T-scores (all p < 0.05) and higher PSS and CES-DC scores (all p < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed depression was strongly correlated with FA when controlling for executive dysfunction and stress (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Among obesity treatment-seeking adolescents, youths with food addiction displayed greater impairments in executive functioning and higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms than adolescents without food addiction. Prospective studies are needed to determine how this behavioral phenotype helps predict intervention outcomes.

Implications of Using the BRIEF-Preschool With School-Age Children With Down Syndrome.

This study evaluated the appropriateness of scoring the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P) using age-equivalent scores generated from multiple measures of cognition and language among school-age children with Down syndrome (DS). Subscale T scores for 95 children with DS were contrasted using standard scoring on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Second edition (BRIEF-2; based on chronological age) to alternate scoring using the BRIEF-P (based on age-equivalent) for patterns of subscale intercorrelations, differences in mean scores, and agreement on findings from clinical cut-off scores. Results with children with DS suggested using (1) the BRIEF-P for children ages 2-5 years old, (2) the BRIEF-2 with chronological-age scoring or the BRIEF-P with age-equivalent scoring (with some caveats) for research on children ages 5-10 years old, and (3) the BRIEF-2 for children ages 11 and older.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the BRIEF2 Parent Form across gender in a Portuguese sample.

This study aimed to investigate the factor structure and the measurement invariance across gender of the BRIEF2 Parent Form in Portuguese typically developing children. Participants were 700 typically developing children (n = 352 girls and n = 348 boys) aged 6-16 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test five competing factor models. Consistent with the BRIEF2 original dimensional structure, the three-factor model demonstrated the most adequate fit to the data. The measurement invariance of the three-factor model across gender was supported (configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance). Overall, the BRIEF2 Parent Form showed adequate psychometric properties, suggesting that it is a useful instrument to assess everyday executive functioning based on reports of behaviors observed by parents in healthy Portuguese children.

Russian version of BRIEF2 Teacher Forms: validation study in typically developing children aged 5 to 7 years old.

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function®, Second Edition (BRIEF2) Teacher Forms and investigate its dimensional structure. The sample consisted of 178 typically developing children aged 5 to 7 years. Internal reliability analysis indicated high reliability (from 0.87 to 0.95) for the three composite indices and the Global Executive Composite across all age groups. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the dimensional structure of the Russian version of BRIEF2 was different among children aged 5 and 6 years compared to children aged 7 years, which is probably because, in Russia, the transition from kindergarten to school takes place upon reaching the age of 7. The results confirm that the Russian version of the BRIEF2 Teacher Form can be used as a valid tool to assess EF in 5- and 6-year-old children, provided that the three BRIEF2 indices are used for clinical interpretation. For 7-year-old children, the BRIEF2 was found to be an insufficiently valid tool to assess executive function.

Psychometric properties of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, second edition (BRIEF2) self-report form in Iranian adolescents.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the psychometric properties of a Persian translation of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) Self-Report form. METHOD: Participants were 589 typically developing adolescents (336 girls and 253 boys), ages 11-18 years old (M = 15.16; SD = 2.04), in Iran. They completed the Persian version of the BRIEF2 Self-Report form and Teenage Executive Functioning Inventory (TEXI). The Persian translated BRIEF2 psychometric properties were examined via internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity via associations with TEXI scores, and internal structure using structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate fit of the three-factor structure from the original English version BRIEF2. RESULTS: Findings indicated the Persian version of BRIEF2 Self-Report form yielded scores with robust reliability, with internal consistency ranging from .87 to .93 and test-retest correlations ranging from .89 to .96, and adequate convergent validity, with correlations with the TEXI ranging from .48 to .79. SEM revealed that a three-factor solution was the best fitting model for the seven subscales of the Persian BRIEF2. CONCLUSION: These findings support the clinical use of the Persian BRIEF2 in Iranian adolescents, including the interpretation of the BRIEF2 three-factor structure, as well as the multidimensional nature of executive functions.

Psychometric properties of the behavior rating inventory of executive function, second edition (BRIEF2) in a sample of children with ADHD in Iran.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of a Persian translation of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function(BRIEF2) in 253 children with ADHD in Iran (137 boys, 116 girls)ages 8 to 12 years old (M = 10.04; SD = 1.42). The parents of the children completed the Persian BRIEF2 and the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI). The findings indicated that the Persian version of BRIEF2 had good reliability (internal and test-retest) and satisfactory to good validity (convergent and construct). With respect to its construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a three-factor solution was the best model fit for the nine subscales of the BRIEF2, which supports the valid interpretation of the three BRIEF2 indexes in the Persian BRIEF2. These findings support the clinical relevance of the Persian BRIEF in Iranian children with ADHD, as well as the multidimensional nature of executive functions.

[Formula: see text]Multivariate base rates of score elevations on the BRIEF2 in children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or specific learning disorder with impairment in reading.

There is a paucity of research examining multivariate base rates (MBRs) of elevated scores in pediatric rating scales of cognition. We present novel MBR information on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) for several clinical groups: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Combined Presentation (ADHD-C); ADHD Inattentive Presentation (ADHD-I); Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); and Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in Reading (SLD-R). Participants included children diagnosed as having ADHD-C (n = 350), ADHD-I (n = 343), ASD (n = 390), or SLD-R (n = 240). Cumulative MBRs (e.g., the % of a sample having one or more elevated scores) were examined for each BRIEF2 form (Parent, Teacher, and Self-Report) and at three T-score cutoffs (T ≥ 60, T ≥ 65, and T ≥ 70). The MBR of obtaining at least one elevated score was common across clinical groups and forms at T ≥ 60 (ADHD-C = 90.5-98.1%; ADHD-I = 83.9-98.7%; ASD = 90.3-96.9%, SLD-R = 60.0-78.4%), T ≥ 65 (ADHD-C = 66.7-97.2%; ADHD-I = 77.5-94.9%; ASD = 77.3-92.7%; SLD-R = 38.5-64.0%), and T ≥ 70 (ADHD-C = 52.4-89.4%; ADHD-I = 64.8-84.2%; ASD = 54.5-83.2%; SLD-R = 26.9-44.1%). MBRs appeared to differ as a function of group (ADHD-C > ADHD-I > ASD > SLD-R) and form (Parent > Teacher > Self-Report) though future research with well-defined samples is needed to investigate this. We provide novel MBR information to enhance clinical interpretation of BRIEF2 data.

[Formula: see text]Enhanced interpretation of the BRIEF2: multivariate base rates of elevated scores in the standardization samples.

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) is a standardized rating (self, parent, and teacher) scale of executive functioning in children and adolescents. Here, we provide multivariate base rate (MBR) information (for the Self, Parent, and Teacher forms), which is not included in the BRIEF2 Professional Manual. Participants were children and adolescents for the BRIEF2 Self-Report (ages = 11-18; N = 803), Parent-Report (ages = 5-18; N = 1,400), and Teacher-Report (ages = 5-18; N = 1,400) standardization samples. We focused on cumulative (e.g., % of sample with oneor more elevated scores) MBRs across scales, which were examined at three elevation levels on each form: T≥ 60, ≥65, and ≥70. Across forms, MBRs predictably decreased with increasing number of elevated scores and at higher cutoffs. The cumulative MBR of having at least one score at T≥ 60 was common (37.5-42.2%), but less frequent at T≥ 70 (15.4-17.4%). The probability of having elevated scores on all scales was very low, irrespective of form, age, or elevation threshold (T≥ 60 = 2.4-4.4%; T≥ 65 = 1.0-1.4%; T≥ 70 = 0.0-0.7%). There was no clinically meaningful relation between demographic factors (age, gender, race, and parental education) and MBRs. These data provide clinicians and researchers with an enhanced way of concurrently interpreting multiple BRIEF2 scales.

Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Family and School Environment.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the presence of difficulties in communication and social interaction, often associated with deficits in executive functions (EF). The EF correct development is related to a more effective functioning in all its daily activities, while being associated with more efficient social relations. The objective of this research is to analyze the level of development of EF in children and adolescents with ASD in school and at home. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, and multicenter study with 102 participants selected by non-probabilistic sampling, 32 parents of children with ASD, and 70 professionals in the field of education of students with ASD. The study confirms that although children and adolescents with ASD have problems in executive functioning, the perception of informants, parents, and education professionals is similar but not the same in the different contexts: school and home.

Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Grade 1 and 2, vs. Neurotypical Development: A School View.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social and communication functioning. Previous studies suggest that people with autism spectrum disorders have deficits in executive functions, having found a relationship with cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory, inhibition or self-control, but it is especially with respect to cognitive flexibility where the greatest dysfunctions have been found. The objective of this research was to compare the executive functioning of a group of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders with another with neurotypical development in an educational context. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and multicenter confirmatory study in which 121 people who participated acted as informants, with 70 of them being education professionals who work with people with autism spectrum disorders grade 1 and 2 and 51 of them being teachers who work with people of neurotypical development; these individuals were selected through non-probabilistic sampling. RESULTS: People diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders obtained significantly higher scores on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 scale for the nine clinical scales and the four indexes that compose it compared to the group of people with neurotypical development; in addition, the average scores obtained are clinically significant, with them being elevated for the group with autism spectrum disorders. This study confirms that children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders experience greater difficulties with respect to their executive functions than children with neurotypical development.

The dimensionality of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition in a clinical sample.

The parent-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2) is a widely used pediatric neuropsychological measure. Unfortunately, despite meaningful changes from its predecessor, few studies have examined its internal factor structure (now with Behavioral Regulation [BRI], Emotion Regulation [ERI], and Cognitive Regulation [CRI]), and no available literature has investigated higher order models for the BRIEF-2. This study sought to address this shortcoming in the literature by investigating and reporting on the dimensionality of the parent-report BRIEF-2 in a clinical sample. Two hundred and two (202) pediatric neuropsychology examinees (M age = 9.90; 68% males) with complete data for the parent-report BRIEF-2 were included. Descriptive results revealed generally elevated scores across BRIEF-2 scales (Global Executive Composite M T = 70.16). Exploratory factor analyses suggested two factors (CRI and BRI/ERI) should be extracted, and that higher order models should be considered. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a direct hierarchical/bifactor two-factor structure (which was more parsimonious than the theoretical three-factor model) provided the best fit, with a bulk of the variance explained by the general GEC factor. The BRIEF-2 may be best interpreted at the overall level, with relatively less weight given to the index variables, particularly within clinical samples with high levels of reported executive functioning difficulties. Implications of these findings, limitations of the present study, and appropriate directions for future inquiry were discussed.

Dimensional structure of the BRIEF2 and its relations with ADHD symptoms and task performance on executive functions in Chinese children.

This study examined the dimensional structure of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) in a Chinese sample of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related concerns and the correlations of the BRIEF2 with the children's ADHD symptoms and their performance on executive function (EF) tasks. Participants were 339 Chinese children aged 6-15 (M = 9.18 years, SD = 2.33; boys: 78.2%) recruited from 35 schools in Hong Kong. The results from confirmatory factor analyses revealed the best fit for a three-factor nine-scale model compared to a two-factor or single-factor model. Significant correlations were found between the BRIEF2 parent and teacher forms for the Behavioral Regulation Index and Cognitive Regulation Index, but not for the Emotion Regulation Index. Associations between performance on an EF task and the rating of the corresponding subscale on the BRIEF2 purportedly measuring the same EF construct were not consistently observed. Lastly, the BRIEF2 showed good convergent validity with the ratings of ADHD symptoms on the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale Version IV (SNAP-IV). This study provided plausibly the first evidence on the dimensional structure of the BRIEF2 Parent and Teacher Forms in an Asian sample and confirmed the factorial validity of the Chinese version of the BRIEF2.

Parent and Teacher Ratings of Behavioral Executive Functioning for Students With Dyslexia.

Research exploring behavioral ratings of executive functioning (EF) for children and adolescents with dyslexia is scarce, which limits researchers, clinicians, educators, and parents from understanding and best supporting these students at home and/or school. Using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2) rating scale to measure participants' EF behaviors in home and school settings, a primary objective of this study was to examine the EF of Spanish children and adolescents with dyslexia (n = 78) and to compare their EF with typically developing (TD) peers (n = 82). The study also sought to examine agreements and disagreements among teacher and parent raters. One key finding was that children and adolescents with dyslexia were rated by both parents and teachers as having more frequent cognitive, behavioral, and emotional EF difficulties in home and school compared with TD peers. However, teachers often reported greater severity of impairments than parents did across several EF domains, potentially suggesting a differential pattern of EF difficulties between home and school. Results are discussed in relation to multi-informant assessment practices for EF behaviors (e.g., there may be differential patterns of EF difficulties between home and school) and how the findings have implications for supporting children and adolescents with dyslexia.

Behavioral and Neuropsychological Evaluation of Executive Functions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Gulf Region.

This study examined the executive functioning abilities and development profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The participants were 119 children with ASD and 30 typically developing children (age range: 6-12 years) who were recruited from three Gulf states. The findings revealed executive functioning deficits in the ASD population when compared to the normative data or to those children without ASD. However, not all the forms of executive functioning were found to be impaired. Age-related differences in the patterns of performance on the utilized measures of executive functioning were also identified. The overall findings provide valuable information regarding the different components of the executive functions, which may prove useful in relation to the development of assessment protocols for ASD.

Behavioral, social and school functioning in children with Pompe disease.

PURPOSE: To improve our understanding of the behavioral, social, and emotional functioning of children and adolescents with Pompe disease. METHOD: Parents/guardians of 21 children (age 5-18y) with infantile (IPD) or late-onset (LOPD) Pompe disease on long-term enzyme replacement therapy completed three standardized checklists regarding their child's behavior: the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Conners 3 Parent (Conners-3), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF2), and a survey of their child's educational services. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings for each behavior checklist. Age standard scores from each checklist were reported for the IPD (n = 17, 9 females, mean age = 9y, 4 mo; SD = 3y, 8mo) and LOPD (n = 4, 1 female; mean = 11y, 2mo; SD = 2y, 1mo) groups. The majority of children with Pompe exhibited age-appropriate behavior and emotional functioning on these standardized checklists. However, negative mood symptoms, learning problems, decreased participation in structured social activities, and attentional difficulties were more frequently reported in children with IPD in comparison to same-aged peers. Parents of children with LOPD reported fewer problematic behaviors but endorsed negative mood symptoms and difficulties with peer relations. Most children received accommodations in regular education classrooms at school. CONCLUSIONS: These standardized behavior checklists are useful screening tools for the early identification and treatment of behavior, emotional, and social concerns in children with Pompe disease.

Everyday executive function in focal onset pediatric epilepsy on the parent-report BRIEF2.

Executive function (EF) difficulties are a core neuropsychological feature of pediatric epilepsy, and parent-report measures of EF concerns are an important complement to task-based EF measures. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) has shown sensitivity to parent-reported EF concerns in epilepsy and other pediatric populations. We compared profiles of parent-reported EF concerns using the BRIEF and its revision, the BRIEF2, in 117 pediatric patients with focal onset epilepsy to examine the clinical utility of the revised scale. We then compared BRIEF2 profiles between patients and age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Among patients, profiles on the BRIEF did not globally differ from the BRIEF2, and agreement was very good across scales. Patients and controls differed significantly on the BRIEF2, with patients showing higher EF difficulties reported by parents across most scales. High rates of clinical elevation among patients emerged on the Task Monitor, Plan/Organize, Working Memory, and Shift scales. Younger age of epilepsy onset, chronic epilepsy, and right hemisphere seizure focus were associated with higher parent-reported EF concerns. Findings suggest that the BRIEF2 demonstrates similar performance to the BRIEF among pediatric patients with focal onset epilepsy who are most at risk in the areas of task monitoring, working memory, planning and organization, and flexibility. These findings are informative when comparing literature across versions and provide additional insight into the nature of parent-reported EF difficulties among children with focal onset epilepsy.

Dimensional structure and measurement invariance of the BRIEF-2 across gender in a socially vulnerable sample of primary school-aged children.

The present study aims to analyze, on the one hand, the dimensional structure of the BRIEF-2 and, on the other, its measurement invariance across gender in a sample of primary school-aged children. Participants were 168 students (51.8% girls) in conditions of social risk and in foster homes, with ages ranging from 6 to 15 years old (M = 10.08; SD = 2.09). The children's executive functioning level was obtained from their parents or caregivers. The analysis of the internal structure using confirmatory factor analysis reveals that the model with three indexes (Behavioral, Emotional and Cognitive) and nine scales (Inhibit, Shift, Self-Monitor, Emotional Control, Initiate, Working Memory, Plan/Organize, Organization of Materials and Task-Monitor) showed a good fit to the sample. Likewise, the results support the measurement invariance of the BRIEF-2 across genders. The coefficient alpha values for the index scores ranged from .71 to .91, with coefficients for the individual scales ranging from .66 to .88. The findings support the factorial validity of the BRIEF-2 scores, suggesting that it is an adequate instrument to evaluate executive functioning reported by parents and caregivers. Future studies must continue to examine the structure and invariance of the BRIEF-2 in different populations and cultures.