Evaluation of the Validity of a Set of Executive Functions’ Tests in a Sample of Iranian Children

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience (Brain and Cognition), Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 PhD Student in Cognitive Neuroscience (Brain and Cognition), Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

3 PhD in Psychology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

4 PhD in Psychology, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran

5 PhD in Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

6 MA in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

7 PhD Student in Cognitive Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

10.52547/apsy.2022.225080.1227

Abstract

Aim: Executive functions, as a set of cognitive abilities, enable us to manage our behaviors. Typical development of executive functions is crucial for adulthood health, wealth, and academic achievement. The aim of this study was to design and validate some executive function tests in a sample of Iranian children. Method: In the present study, in a cross-sectional design, 1676 students, aged from 6 to15 years old, were participated in 9 different studies with different executive functions tests: Trial Making Test (TMT), Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT), Token Test (TT), Design Fluency Test (DFT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Test (ST), Tower of Hanoi Test (TOHT), and Visual Span Test (VST). Repeated measure ANOVA was used to evaluate discriminative validity between different age groups. Results: Findings described significant discriminative validity for TMT (p<0.05), DFT (p<0.05), RCFT (P<0.01), TT (P<0.01), VST (P<0.01), WCST (P<0.01), ST (P<0.01), and TOHT (P<0.01). Conclusion: The executive functions tests are valid to study typical developmental. These tests are proposed to use in clinical setting to monitor the developmental disorders and/or respective interventions.

Keywords


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