Assessing executive functions in traumatic brain injury: an exploratory study of the Executive Interview

Executive dysfunction is a frequent sequela of traumatic brain injury. Two correlational studies using samples of inpatients and outpatients diagnosed with traumatic brain injury were undertaken to evaluate the validity of a bedside screening test of executive functioning, the 1992 Executive Interview EXIT 25 by Royall, Mahurin, and Gray. In the first study of 23 inpatients receiving rehabilitation, the EXIT 25 was strongly related to both the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination. In the second study of 20 outpatients, the EXIT 25 correlated with other executive function measures and with ratings of functional disability at discharge, although a ceiling effect raised questions about its utility for patients with mild to moderate disability. Further study of the EXIT 25 is justified with a larger sample of inpatients, although caution should be exercised when using the EXIT 25 in mildly impaired outpatients.