The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version in Nepali Children With Poor Growth in Infancy
Roshan Sintakala1, Suman Ranjitkar1, Ram K Chandyo2
1Department of Pediatrics, Child Health Research Project, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Insights
The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P) is a reliable tool for assessing executive functions in Nepali children. It effectively identifies risks associated with low birth weight and low maternal education.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Executive functions are crucial for cognitive development.
- The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P) is a widely used assessment tool.
- Limited data exists on the psychometric properties of the BRIEF-P in low- and middle-income countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the BRIEF-P in a Nepali context.
- To assess the BRIEF-P's ability to identify executive dysfunction in at-risk children.
- To examine the association between executive function and risk factors like low birth weight, stunting, and maternal education.
Main Methods:
- Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the BRIEF-P's structure.
- Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's alpha and inter-correlations.
- The study included 529 parents of children aged 30-35 months.
Main Results:
- A bifactor model with 5 subscales and a general factor demonstrated a good fit.
- Higher BRIEF-P scores were observed in children of mothers with low education compared to those with high education.
- Children with low birth weight exhibited poorer scores in Shift and Flexibility compared to normal birth weight children.
Conclusions:
- The BRIEF-P is a feasible and reliable instrument for measuring executive functions in Nepali children.
- The BRIEF-P scores are associated with key risk factors for executive dysfunction.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering early life risk factors in executive function development.
Objectives:
To describe psychometric properties of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P) and its discriminatory ability for risk groups for executive dysfunction (low birth weight (LBW), stunting and low maternal education) among children with poor growth in infancy.
Introduction:
BRIEF-P is widely used to measure executive functions, but knowledge on its psychometric properties in low-and-middle-income countries is limited.
Method:
The sample consisted of 529 parents of children (30-35 months). BRIEF-P was subject to confirmatory factor analysis, and internal consistency by alpha calculations and inter-correlations.
Results:
A good fit for a bifactor-model with 5 subscales and a general factor. BRIEF-P subscales were higher when mothers had low versus high education. Children born with LBW compared to normal birth weight had poorer Shift and Flexibility scores.
Conclusion:
BRIEF-P is feasible and reliable tool to measure executive functions in Nepali children and is associated with key risk factors for executive dysfunction.
