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The components of executive functioning in traumatic brain injury
Robyn M Busch1, Angela McBride, Glenn Curtiss
1James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
|October 7, 2005
Summary
This study explored executive functioning in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Principal components analysis revealed three key factors: higher-order executive functions, mental control of working memory, and memory errors, offering insights into TBI recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Executive functioning models vary, with prior studies often limited by methodological confounds.
- Understanding executive function subcomponents is crucial for assessing TBI recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the subcomponents of executive abilities in individuals with a history of TBI.
- To address limitations present in previous executive functioning research.
Main Methods:
- Neuropsychological test data from 104 individuals with TBI at one-year follow-up were analyzed.
- Principal components factor analysis was employed to identify underlying executive function structures.
Main Results:
- Three factors emerged, explaining 52.7% of the variance in executive abilities.
- Factor 1: Higher-order executive functions (self-generative behavior, cognitive flexibility/set shifting).
- Factor 2: Mental control (working memory). Factor 3: Memory errors (failure to inhibit inaccurate information).
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest a three-factor structure of executive function in TBI survivors.
- Results align most closely with the 1986 Stuss and Benson model of executive function.