Utility of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool version (BRIEF-P) in young children with epilepsy. Issue 7 (3rd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maiman, Moshe; Salinas, Christine M.; Gindlesperger, Maggie F.; Westerveld, Michael; Vasserman, Marsha; MacAllister, William S.
• Is Part Of: Child neuropsychology. Volume 24:Issue 7(2018)
• Page Start: 975
• Page End: 985
• Publication Date: 2018-10-03
• Subjects: Executive function -- preschool -- young children -- epilepsy; Pediatric neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; Child development deviations -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; 618.92805
• DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2017.1365829
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0929-7049

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Executive functioning deficits are prominent in children with epilepsy. Although instruments, such as the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), are useful in detecting executive dysfunction in school-age children with epilepsy, little data are available for younger children. The present study evaluates the ability of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) to detect executive dysfunction in preschool-age children with epilepsy. Parents of 51 clinically referred children with epilepsy (age: M = 1.99 years, SD = 1.29 years, range = 2–5 years) completed the BRIEF-P. Using a cutoff t score of ≥65 as the threshold for impairment, the BRIEF-P's ability to detect executive dysfunction within this clinical population was established. Additionally, correlational analyses were used to assess the relations between epilepsy severity factors and BRIEF-P indices. Epilepsy severity variables that were significantly related to BRIEF-P indices were entered into a linear regression model to explore their predictive ability. Emergent metacognition (emergent metacognition index [EMI]; 59%) and the global executive composite (43%) were the most frequently elevated indices. The most commonly elevated subscales were working memory (65%), inhibition (37%), and planning/organization (35%). Age of seizure onset, seizure frequency, and number of antiepileptic drugs were not significantly correlated with BRIEF-P indices. However, children with lower intellectual ability were rated as having greater executive dysfunction, specifically with EMI ( r = −.30). Still, intellectual functioning only accounted for a small percentage (9%) of the variance in EMI scores. The current pilot study demonstrates that the BRIEF-P shows promise in identifying executive dysfunction in preschool-age children with epilepsy.