AUTHOR=Fish Jessica , Wilson F. Colin 

TITLE=Assessing Children’s Executive Function: BADS-C Validity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.626291

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.626291

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Objectives. To investigate the external and ecological validity of a standardised test of children’s executive functioning, the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome for Children (BADS-C). 
Background. There are few standardised measures for assessing executive functions in children, and the evidence for the validity of most measures is currently limited.
Method. A normative sample of 256 children from age 8-16 completed the BADS-C, and a parent or teacher completed rating scales of the child’s everyday problems related to executive functioning (Children’s version of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire; DEX-C) and (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ), a commonly used measure concerning emotional, social, cognitive and behavioural problems.
Key Findings. Exploratory factor analyses yielded a two-factor structure to the BADS, indicative of monitoring and abstract reasoning processes, and a three-factor structure to the DEX-C, reflecting behavioural and cognitive components of the dysexecutive syndrome as well as emotional responsiveness. Regression analyses showed significant relationships between BADS-C scores and everyday functioning as reported on the DEX and SDQ. Furthermore, there were significant differences in BADS-C scores between those children in the upper and lower quartiles on the SDQ. 
Conclusions. Results provide tentative evidence of BADS-C and DEX-C convergent and predictive validity.