Awareness of executive functioning deficits in multiple sclerosis: self versus informant ratings of impairment

This study investigates the accuracy of self and informant ratings of executive dysfunction in a multiple sclerosis (MS) and control sample. Participants completed a neuropsychological battery. Participants and informants completed depression measures and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). MS participants rated themselves more impaired than controls, while informants' ratings were not statistically different. MS participants' performance on executive tasks was more highly correlated with self than informant DEX ratings. Discrepancies between informant DEX ratings and executive performance were related to executive functioning for the MS participants only. Overall, results indicate that MS patients were able to accurately rate their executive functioning.