Development of a scale of executive functioning for the RBANS

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Assessment
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) assesses cognitive abilities but lacks a dedicated executive functioning scale.
• Executive errors within RBANS subtests are infrequent, and normative data for their interpretation is limited.
• Assessing executive functioning is crucial in neuropsychological evaluations, especially for conditions impacting cognitive control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the RBANS executive errors scale (RBANS EE) using existing RBANS test data.
• To create a quantifiable measure of executive functioning deficits based on observed dysexecutive errors.
• To establish the concurrent validity and utility of the RBANS EE as a supplementary assessment tool.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative dysexecutive errors were identified and selected from RBANS test performances of Veterans.
• Items for the RBANS EE were chosen based on theoretical relevance and item-total correlations.
• The RBANS EE, calculated as a percentage of dysexecutive errors, was correlated with established executive functioning measures.

Main Results:

• The RBANS EE demonstrated moderate correlations with seven established executive functioning measures.
• The RBANS EE strongly predicted the classification of executive impairment.
• The scale exhibited solid concurrent validity, supporting its use in clinical settings.

Conclusions:

• The RBANS EE is a valid supplementary scale for quantifying executive functioning.
• This scale provides a valuable measure of executive deficits without increasing assessment duration.
• The RBANS EE enhances the utility of the RBANS for comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations.