A-150 Comparison of a Traditional and a Novel Measure of Executive Functioning in Predicting Daily Task Performance

Abstract

Abstract Objective Executive functioning (EF) is known to be associated with performance of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). However, traditional EF assessment takes place in the lab under ideal circumstances, which does not take into account the complexity of daily life, such as the need to interleave tasks. The present study aimed to examine whether a novel ecologically valid measure of EF that requires interleaving of activities, the “Night Out Task” (NOT), better predicted daily at-home IADL performance than a traditional EF measure. Method Participants were 49 healthy, community-dwelling older adults aged 60–95 (Mage = 69.35, SD = 6.51, 63.3% female, 100% non-Hispanic White). Participants completed both a traditional (Delis Kaplan Executive Function System; D-KEFS) and a novel measure (Night Out Task; NOT) of EF. Over the course of the next 18 days, they completed IADL tasks at home daily as part of the Daily Assessment of Independent Living and Executive Skills (DAILIES) protocol. Results Planning time on the NOT predicted, above and beyond the D-KEFS (p = 0.007, CI = −0.053 to −0.009), whether the DAILIES tasks were completed at all and whether they were completed during a required time frame. NOT accuracy was predictive of how accurately daily tasks were completed, but not above and beyond the D-KEFS (p = 0.131, CI = −0.266 to 1.99). Conclusions The NOT is a novel ecologically valid measure of EF that demonstrated incremental utility beyond the D-KEFS. While the NOT and D-KEFS predicted task accuracy, only the NOT planning time predicted whether participants completed a task.