title: The potential of function-led virtual environments for ecologically valid measures of executive function in experimental and clinical neuropsychology.
abstract: The assessment of executive functions is an integral task of neuropsychological assessment. Traditional measures of executive function are often based on hypothetical constructs that may have little relevance to real-world behaviours. In fact, some traditional tests utilised today were not originally developed for clinical use. Recently, researchers have been arguing for a new generation of "function-led" neuropsychological assessments that are developed from directly observable everyday behaviours. Although virtual environments (VEs) have been presented as potential aides in enhancing ecological validity, many were modelled on construct-driven approaches found in traditional assessments. In the current paper, we review construct-driven and function-led VE-based neuropsychological assessments of executive functions. Overall, function-led VEs best represent the sorts of tasks needed for enhanced ecological validity and prediction of real-world functioning.
authors.affiliation: a Computational Neuropsychology and Simulation, Department of Psychology , University of North Texas , Denton , USA.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: a Computational Neuropsychology and Simulation, Department of Psychology , University of North Texas , Denton , USA.
authors.forename: Anne R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Carlew
authors.affiliation: a Computational Neuropsychology and Simulation, Department of Psychology , University of North Texas , Denton , USA.
authors.forename: Jonlih
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magtoto
authors.affiliation: a Computational Neuropsychology and Simulation, Department of Psychology , University of North Texas , Denton , USA.
authors.forename: Kiefer
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stonecipher
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Ecological validity; Executive function; Neuropsychological assessment; Virtual environments