Self-reported Executive Research Articles

B - 77 Self-Reported Executive Dysfunction Is Related to Emotional Distress: Findings among University Students

Abstract Objective Performance based neuropsychological tests assess executive functions (EF), but self-report rating inventories may increase ecological validity by inquiring about EF in everyday life. These sources of information often disagree, largely because subjective self-reports are influenced by emotional distress. Research has seldom explored how strongly subjective ratings of EF correlate uniquely with depression and anxiety versus flattering and unflattering self-reports more generally. This project examined the relationship between self-reported EF on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Adult Version (BRIEF-A) with performances on tests of EF, as well as measures of depression, anxiety, curiosity, and anger. We hypothesized that BRIEF-A scores would share small correlations with tests of EF, medium correlations with depression and anxiety, and intermediate correlations with anger and curiosity. Method 151 undergraduates [80% female; age 21.4 (3.8)] completed the BRIEF-A, neuropsychological tests of EF, and self-report measures of depression, anxiety, anger, and curiosity. Results The BRIEF-A Behavior Regulation (BRI) and Metacognitive (MI) indices shared a large correlation (r = 0.66), with internal consistencies exceeding 0.90. No correlation between BRIEF-A indices and neuropsychological performances exceeded 0.10. Problems reported on the BRI and MI were positively associated with self-reported depression (r = 0.45) and state anxiety (r = 0.29). The MI had a small correlation with state curiosity (r = −0.21), whereby more metacognitive problems were associated with less curiosity. BRI correlated with state anger at 0.19. Conclusions It is unlikely self-reported EF reflects generic positive self-regard and is more closely associated with emotional distress. Users of the BRIEF-A should consider depression and anxiety when interpreting this test.

Correlates of Self-Reported Executive Function Impairment Among Medicaid Beneficiaries With Type 2 Diabetes

Aims Executive function (EF) impairment is associated with poorer outcomes for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Previous research has identified risk factors for EF impairment, but many of these are also associated with type 2 diabetes. To address this issue, this study identified relevant variables from the literature and compared their association with EF in a sample of people with type 2 diabetes. Methods Adult members of a Medicaid health plan diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in a social needs intervention trial. Using baseline data from the trial, bivariate and multivariable regression analyses examined associations between EF and demographic, health, and psychosocial factors. Results When controlling for other factors, we identified six significant correlates of EF impairment: age (β = 0.10), education (college vs. no college; β = −0.38), depression symptoms (β = 0.18), comorbidity burden (β = 0.21), diabetes-related distress (β = 0.14), and future time orientation (β = −0.13). Conclusion Our analysis identified several factors associated with greater EF impairment, which may interfere with diabetes self-management. Providers should consider these factors when prescribing treatments and determine whether additional resources or accommodations are warranted.

Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Symptom Associations With Community Participation in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.

To determine the association between self-reported emotional and cognitive symptoms and participation outcomes in chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to explore the relative contribution of self-reported versus performance-based cognition to participation outcomes. Community. Community-dwelling adults ( n = 135) with a lifetime history of mild to severe TBI. Secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study on neurobehavioral symptoms in chronic TBI. Behavioral Assessment Screening Tool (BAST) (Negative Affect, Fatigue, Executive Dysfunction, Impulsivity, Substance Abuse subscales) measured self-reported neurobehavioral symptoms; Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools (Productivity, Social Relations, and Out and About) measured self-reported participation outcomes; and Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT) measured performance-based cognition (Episodic Memory and Executive Function summary scores) in a subsample ( n = 40). The BAST Executive Dysfunction was significantly associated with less frequent participation and had the strongest effect on participation in all participation domains. No other BAST subscales were associated with participation, after adjusting for all subscale scores and age, with the exception of BAST Impulsivity, which was associated with more frequent Social Relationships. Exploratory analysis in the sample including the BTACT revealed that, after accounting for subjective Executive Dysfunction using the BAST, performance-based Executive Function was associated with Productivity and Working Memory was associated with Social Relations, but neither was associated with being Out and About; the BAST Executive Dysfunction remained significant in all models even after including BTACT scores. Self-reported Executive Dysfunction contributed to participation outcomes after mild to severe TBI in community-dwelling adults, whereas self-reported emotional and fatigue symptoms did not. Performance-based cognition measures may capture different variability in participation after injury.

Assessment of Self-Reported Executive Function in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using a Machine-Learning Framework.

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized as a disorder of the gut-brain interaction (DGBI). Here, we explored the presence of problems related to executive function (EF) in patients with IBS and tested the relative importance of cognitive features involved in EF. Methods: A total of 44 patients with IBS and 22 healthy controls (HCs) completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-A), used to identify nine EF features. The PyCaret 3.0 machine-learning library in Python was used to explore the data, generate a robust model to classify patients with IBS versus HCs and identify the relative importance of the EF features in this model. The robustness of the model was evaluated by training the model on a subset of data and testing it on the unseen, hold-out dataset. Results: The explorative analysis showed that patients with IBS reported significantly more severe EF problems than the HC group on measures of working memory function, initiation, cognitive flexibility and emotional control. Impairment at a level in need of clinical attention was found in up to 40% on some of these scales. When the nine EF features were used as input to a collection of different binary classifiers, the Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm (XGBoost) showed superior performance. The working memory subscale was consistently selected with the strongest importance in this model, followed by planning and emotional control. The goodness of the machine-learning model was confirmed in an unseen dataset by correctly classifying 85% of the IBS patients. Conclusions: The results showed the presence of EF-related problems in patients with IBS, with a substantial impact of problems related to working memory function. These results suggest that EF should be part of an assessment procedure when a patient presents other symptoms of IBS and that working memory function should be considered a target when treating patients with the disorder. Further studies should include measures of EF as part of the symptom cluster characterizing patients with IBS and other DGBIs.

Self-Reported Executive Function in Hospitalized Cardiac Patients and Associations With Patient Characteristics and Cardiac Rehabilitation Attendance.

Executive function (ExF), the ability to do complex cognitive tasks like planning and refraining from impulsive behavior, is associated with compliance with medical recommendations. The present study identified associations between self-reported ExF and demographics of patients with cardiac disease as well as with cardiac rehabilitation (CR) attendance. Self-reported ExF impairment was measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) on 316 individuals hospitalized for CR-qualifying cardiac events. Scores were calculated for a global measure (Global Executive Composite [GEC]) and the two BRIEF indices: Behavioral Regulation Index and Metacognition Index (MCI). Participants were followed up post-discharge to determine CR attendance. Univariate logistic regressions between ExF measures and demographic variables were conducted, as were multiple logistic regressions to identify significant, independent predictors. Analyses were conducted using clinical (T scores ≥ 65) and subclinical (T scores ≥ 60) criteria for significant ExF impairment as outcomes. One-way analyses of variance were performed between ExF impairment and CR attendance. Self-reported ExF deficits were relatively rare; 8.9% had at least subclinical scores on the GEC. Using the subclinical criterion for the MCI, having diabetes mellitus (DM) and being male were significant, independent predictors of MCI impairment. No significant relationship was found between ExF and CR attendance. Using the subclinical criterion only, individuals with DM and males were significantly more likely to have MCI impairment. No significant effect of ExF impairment on CR attendance was found, suggesting that self-reported ExF measured in the hospital may not be an appropriate measure for predicting behavioral outcomes.

Structural Relationship among Children’s Academic Stress, Grit, Executive Function Difficulty, and Media Device Addiction

This study examined the structural relationship between children’s academic stress, grit, executive function difficulty, and media device addiction. Data on 1,132 children and their mothers from the 11<sup>th</sup> (2018)Panel Study on Korean Children were used for the study. Data were collected by Academic Stress Scale, Grit Scale-Children, Child-Adolescent Self-reported Executive Function Difficulty Screening Questionnaire, and K-Internet Addiction Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 program with Pearson correlation, structural equation model and bootstrapping. The main results were as follows. 1) Children’s academic stress had a negative influence on their grit. 2) Children’s grit had a negative influence on their executive function difficulty and media device addiction. 3) Children’s executive function difficulty had a positive influence on their media device addiction. 4) The relationship between children’s academic stress and media device addiction was mediated by their grit and executive function difficulty. This study is significant in the sense that it found protective factors and risk factors for children’s addiction to media devices. We suggest that children’s grit be improved, and their academic stress and executive function difficulty be reduced to prevent and mediate children’s media device addiction.

Normative and Maladaptive Personality Traits and Self-Reported Executive Functioning.

Research on self-reported executive functioning (EF) and personality has largely focused on normative personality traits. While previous research has demonstrated that maladaptive personality traits are associated with performance-based EF, the literature examining the relationship between these traits and self-reported EF is limited. The current study examined the relationship between multiple domains of self-reported EF (Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale) and both normative (The International Personality Item Pool-NEO-120 Item [IPIP-120]) and maladaptive (Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Short Form [PID-5-SF]) personality traits in an undergraduate student sample (n = 354). Similar to past research, relationships were largest across EF domains for both measures related to neuroticism (i.e., IPIP-120 neuroticism and PID-5-SF negative affectivity) and conscientiousness (i.e., IPIP-120 conscientiousness and PID-5-SF disinhibition). Normative personality traits generally accounted for greater variance in EF when examined alone and were also generally associated with greater incremental validity when compared with maladaptive personality traits. However, multiple regression analyses indicated that maladaptive personality traits added unique predictive variance above and beyond normative personality traits in their association with multiple domains of EF. These results highlight the utility of assessing both normative and maladaptive personality traits as well as multiple domains of EF to more fully understand the relationship between personality and EF.

Autism Traits Predict Self-reported Executive Functioning Deficits in Everyday Life and an Aversion to Exercise

Are Autism Quotient (AQ) scores related to executive functioning (EF)? We sampled 200 students of normal intelligence and examined the relationship between AQ scores and: (a) 5 self-ratings of EF, (b) 5 performance-based measures of EF, and (c) 5 types of activities or experiences that are assumed to recruit EF and sometimes enhance EF. Our findings reveal that as AQ scores increase, self-rated EF ability decreases. AQ scores and self-reported EF measures do not correlate with objective EF task performance. Furthermore, AQ scores were shown to be negatively associated with many specific types of physical activity. As AQ scores increase, individuals report fewer positive reasons for exercise and more rationalizations for not engaging in more exercise.

Academic Procrastination in Study Habits and Its Relationship with Self-Reported Executive Functions in High School Students

Procrastination is a widespread phenomenon in educational settings. This study aimed to determine the relationship between academic procrastination regarding study habits and self-reported executive functions in high school students. In a sample of 52 students, the following instruments were applied: Academic Procrastination Scale (APS), Study Habits Inventory (SHI), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF®) and as a control variable, anxiety was measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The results indicated that high school students had moderate procrastination scores that were negatively correlated with the SHI scores. A significant correlation was also found between the APS and the scales associated with the Metacognition Index (MI) as measured by BRIEF®. It is concluded that students who procrastinate have difficulty organizing, planning and assimilating school content. The implementation of strategies for study habits in high school students is suggested, which would result in an impact on their metacognition.

Effects of a Brief Mindfulness Curriculum on Self-reported Executive Functioning and Emotion Regulation in Hong Kong Adolescents

Social and emotional skills training is important for adolescents, whose stress vulnerability may be exacerbated during academic and social transitions. The present study investigated whether a mindfulness curriculum was an effective school-based universal SEL program when conducted in regular classrooms. In this controlled trial, we recruited from seventh-grade classrooms in a lowest academic tier Hong Kong public school. One hundred fifteen youth with a mean age of 12.4 years were randomized by class to an adapted version of a mindfulness-based SEL program, Learning to BREATHE (L2B; N = 53), consisting of six 70-min sessions, or instruction as usual (IAU; N = 62) during their religion/social studies class. Pre- to posttest change scores in complete and imputed datasets revealed significant between-group differences favoring the L2B group with (1) medium effect sizes for the executive functioning components of emotional control and self-monitoring; and a small effect size for working memory; (2) a small effect size for the internalizing problem component of anxiety/depression; and (3) a small effect size for the rumination component of brooding. There was a pattern of improvement in the L2B group and deterioration in the IAU group on emotional control, working memory, self-monitoring and anxiety/depression, and more of an increase in brooding among IAU than among L2B participants. The intervention served a primarily preventive function during this year of academic transition, promoting resilience among students who learned mindfulness skills. The findings lend support for the benefits of mindfulness-based training as a multitier model for intervention in educational settings.

Turning down the heat: Neural mechanisms of cognitive control for inhibiting task-irrelevant emotional information during adolescence

One major question in the cognitive neuroscience of cognitive control is whether prefrontal regions contribute to control by upregulating the processing of task-relevant material or by downregulating the processing of task-irrelevant material. Here we take a unique approach to addressing this question by using multi-voxel pattern analysis, which allowed us to determine the degree to which each of the task-relevant and task-irrelevant dimensions of a stimulus are being processed in posterior cortex on a trial-by-trial basis. In our study, adolescent participants performed an emotion word – emotional face Stroop task requiring them to determine the emotional valence (positive, negative) of a task-relevant word in the context of a task-irrelevant emotional face. Using mediation models, we determined whether activation of a major cognitive control region, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), influences reaction time on a trial-by-trial basis directly or if it does so indirectly by modulating processing of the task-relevant and/or task-irrelevant information in posterior brain regions. To examine the specificity of the effects observed for the DLPFC, similar analyses were performed for the amygdala, a brain region involved in processing of the salient task-irrelevant emotional information.For both congruent and incongruent trials, increased DLPFC activity on a given trial was associated with reduced perceptual processing of the task-irrelevant face, consistent with the idea that top-down cognitive control can modulate processing of task-irrelevant information. No effect of DLPFC activity was observed on processing of the task-relevant word. However, increased processing of the task-relevant word was associated with longer RT on congruent trials but not incongruent trials, which may reflect a need for greater processing of the task-relevant word to overcome any influence of the pre-potent task-irrelevant face.In a more exploratory aspect of our investigation, multi-level moderated mediation models were used to examine the influence of individual differences on the observed brain-behavior relationships. For congruent trials, the influence of task-irrelevant face processing on RT was decreased in individuals with higher self-reported Executive Control and increased in those with higher levels of self-reported Negative Affect.These results suggest that cognitive control regions in prefrontal cortex during adolescence can suppress the processing of task-irrelevant information in sensory cortex to influence performance (RT). The processing of task-relevant information may also influence performance, but such processing did not reveal evidence of being modulated by cognitive control regions. Moreover, these effects are sensitive to individual differences in the self-reported ability to exert cognitive and affective control. As such, we provide insights into the more precise mechanisms by which cognitive control influences task performance on a trial-by-trial basis during adolescence.

Self-Reported Executive Dysfunction, Fatigue, and Psychological and Emotional Symptoms in Physically Well-Functioning Long-Term Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumor

ABSTRACTLong-term executive function (EF), psychological and emotional difficulties, and fatigue among adult survivors of pediatric brain tumors (PBTs) are sparsely studied. One hundred and fourteen adult PBT survivors, 89 PBT survivor informants, and a healthy control group completed questionnaires assessing these domains. Significant differences between PBT survivors and controls were found on all self-reported measures, most strongly on measures reflecting EF. Patients reported significantly more difficulties with metacognitive aspects of EF compared to behavioral aspects. PBT survivors reported more psychological symptoms and executive dysfunction than their informants. These findings should be taken into consideration in long-term neuropsychological and psychosocial follow-ups.

Self-reported Executive Functioning Competencies and Psychopharmacology Use History

Self-reported Executive Functioning Competencies and Psychopharmacology Use History

C-28Trait Anxiety and its Relation to Self-Reported Executive Dysfunction

C-28Trait Anxiety and its Relation to Self-Reported Executive Dysfunction

Assessing behavioral syndromes in patients with brain tumors using the frontal systems behavior scale (FrSBe).

Personality changes following brain tumors may be due to disruption of frontal-subcortical networks. The relation between personality changes and tumor parameters such as volumes of the surgical cavity, residual tumor, or nonspecific white matter abnormalities is unknown. In this study we examined the relation between these tumor parameters and abnormal behaviors typically associated with frontal lobe dysfunction. Thirty-one patients with intracranial tumors who completed the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe) during clinical neuropsychological assessment and had a solitary, well-delimited brain lesion on MRI within 3 months of that assessment were included. Tumor parameters were manually segmented using OsiriX. Nonparametric statistics were used to determine the relationship between tumor parameters and frontal behavioral dysfunction as measured by FrSBe scores. Patients reported significantly more behavior problems after tumor diagnosis. Tumor cavity volume was correlated with self-reported Executive Dysfunction (rho = 0.450, P = .047), and there was a trend in the relationship with self-reported Apathy (rho = 0.438, P = .053). Nonspecific white matter abnormality volume was also correlated with self-reported Apathy (rho = 0.810, P = .01). There were no correlations between FrSBe scores and residual tumor volume or summed volumes of tumor-related parameters. Our results suggest that tumor parameters have differential effects on behaviors associated with frontal-subcortical networks and corroborate the high frequency of behavioral dysfunction in brain tumor patients. Examination of these relationships in a prospective trial is warranted to establish incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of behavioral disturbances in brain tumor patients.

B-87Association of Mood, Functional Activities, and Scores on Objective Executive Function Tasks with Self-Reported Executive Function Symptoms in Non-Demented Older Adults

B-87Association of Mood, Functional Activities, and Scores on Objective Executive Function Tasks with Self-Reported Executive Function Symptoms in Non-Demented Older Adults

C-36Association of Mood, Functional Activities, and Scores on Objective Executive Function Tasks with Self-Reported Executive Function Symptoms in Non-Demented Older Adults

C-36Association of Mood, Functional Activities, and Scores on Objective Executive Function Tasks with Self-Reported Executive Function Symptoms in Non-Demented Older Adults

Life after Adolescent and Adult Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Self-Reported Executive, Emotional, and Behavioural Function 2-5 Years after Injury.

Survivors of moderate-severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are at risk for long-term cognitive, emotional, and behavioural problems. This prospective cohort study investigated self-reported executive, emotional, and behavioural problems in the late chronic phase of moderate and severe TBI, if demographic characteristics (i.e., age, years of education), injury characteristics (Glasgow Coma Scale score, MRI findings such as traumatic axonal injury (TAI), or duration of posttraumatic amnesia), symptoms of depression, or neuropsychological variables in the first year after injury predicted long-term self-reported function. Self-reported executive, emotional, and behavioural functioning were assessed among individuals with moderate and severe TBI (N = 67, age range 15–65 years at time of injury) 2–5 years after TBI, compared to a healthy matched control group (N = 72). Results revealed significantly more attentional, emotional regulation, and psychological difficulties in the TBI group than controls. Demographic and early clinical variables were associated with poorer cognitive and emotional outcome. Fewer years of education and depressive symptoms predicted greater executive dysfunction. Younger age at injury predicted more aggressive and rule-breaking behaviour. TAI and depressive symptoms predicted Internalizing problems and greater executive dysfunction. In conclusion, age, education, TAI, and depression appear to elevate risk for poor long-term outcome, emphasising the need for long-term follow-up of patients presenting with risk factors.

Validity of Child-Adolescent Self-reported Executive Function Difficulty Screening Questionnaire

본 연구에서는 집행기능의 일차 사전 선별을 위한 도구로의 기능을 할 수 있는 간편형 집행기능곤란 문항을 개발하여 타당도를 검증하고자 하였다. 송현주(2010) 연구에서 추출한 68문항을 사용하여 고등학생 1학년, 2학년과 3학년 529명(남 274, 여 251), 초등학생 5학년과 6학년 216명(남 112, 여 104)을 대상으로 하여 요인구조와 문항들을 추출하였고 초등학교 5학년 44명(남 24, 여 20)과 고등학교 1학년 46명(남 27, 여 19)을 대상으로 지능검사, 스투룹검사와 색선로검사를 실시하여 타당도를 검증하였다. 주축요인분석을 사용하여 탐색적 요인분석이 실시되었고 구조방정식을 사용하여 확인적 요인분석을 실시하였다. 분석 결과, 총 40문항이 추출되었고 4개의 요인으로 세분되었으며 계획-조직화곤란, 행동통제곤란, 정서통제곤란과 부주의로 명명되었다. 각각의 4개 요인과 전체 4요인모델에 대한 적합도 지수를 산출하였다. CFI, TLI와 RMSEA 세가지 적합도지수를 비교한 결과, 일부 TLI가 다소 낮은 수치를 보였으나 전체적으로 볼때 수용 가능한 적합도로 판단되었다. 또한 Cronbach a계수가 모두 .8을 넘어 내적 일치도가 검증되었으며 집행기능 관련 신경심리측정치와의 유의한 상관을 통해 타당도도 입증되었다. 고등학생 집단에서는 행동통제곤란이 전체 지능(r=-.378, p <.05)과 언어이해요인(r=-.347, p <.05)과 유의한 상관을 보였으며 부주의가 지각추론요인(r=-.393, p <.01)과 스투룹간섭시간(r=.360, p <.05)과 유의한 상관을 보였다. 초등학생집단에서는 행동통제곤란이 스투룹간섭45초반응시간(r=.333, p <.05)과 유의한 상관을 보였으며 부주의가 스투룹간섭시간(r=.370, p <.05)과 유의한 상관을 보였다. 연구 결과, 본 연구에서 추출한 40문항은 보다 심층적인 집행기능 평가를 위해 일차적으로 선별하는 도구로서 타당함이 입증되었다.

Investigating the Impact of Depression on Self-reported Executive Function In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury

Investigating the Impact of Depression on Self-reported Executive Function In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury