Date of Award

2010

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The current study explored the construct of executive functioning and neuropsychological measurement techniques used to assess executive functioning (EF). Two current comprehensive measures of executive functioning include the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning System (D-KEFS). The BRIEF-A is a self-report questionnaire that reportedly assesses behaviors associated with EF, and the D-KEFS is a battery of tests that are objectively administered by a trained examiner to directly measure different manifestations of EF ability. This study examined the relationship between gender and general intellectual ability on EF and investigated each measure's construct validity in assessing EF in the context of symptoms of depression. The factor structures of these measures of EF were assessed using confirmatory factor analytic statistical techniques to determine their convergent validity in measuring EF domains in a college sample. A three-factor model for the BRIEF-A and a five-factor model solution for the D-KEFS emerged as the best fitting models for each measure. Overall, these results have implications for the neuropsychological assessment of EF, and in particular for assessing EF in clients experiencing depressive symptomology.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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