Validating the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning for Children With ADHD and Their Typically Developing Peers

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) has been widely used both clinically and in research for measuring executive functioning (EF) in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examined the concurrent validity of the BRIEF (both parent and teacher ratings) compared to performance-based measures of EF in children with ADHD compared to typically developing (TD) children. The authors assessed 20 children with ADHD and 20 TD controls on 4 EF domains-working memory, planning, inhibition, and set shifting-using the BRIEF and performance-based measures of EF. Children (aged 8-12 years old) with ADHD demonstrated more EF impairment than their TD peers on both questionnaire- and performance-based measures. Ratings on questionnaire- and performance-based measures did not uniquely correlate with each other. Questionnaire-based measures were better at discriminating between children with ADHD and TD children, specifically BRIEF parent ratings, and discrimination depended mostly on the Working Memory, Plan/Organize, and Inhibit subscales. The BRIEF has clinical utility for discriminating between children with ADHD and their TD peers; however, some limitations exist for interpretation of the BRIEF, and it should be used with caution in the assessment and diagnosis of ADHD.