title: Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Adult Version in Patients with Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Conditions: Symptom Levels and Relationship to Emotional Distress.
abstract: The present study explored the level of self-and informant reported executive functioning in daily living using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) in a large sample comprising healthy adults and patient cohorts with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. The relationship to neuropsychological test performance and self-reported emotional distress was explored, as well as the applicability of U.S. normative data.
  
  
  
  Scores on the self- and informant reported BRIEF-A are presented, along with scores on standardized cognitive tests, and on rating scales of self-reported emotional distress in a Norwegian healthy comparison group (n=115), patients with severe traumatic brain injury (n=125), focal frontal lobe damage (n=29), focal cerebellar lesion (n=24), Parkinson's disease (n=42), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n=34), type II bipolar disorder (n=21), and borderline personality disorder (n=18).
  
  
  
  Strong associations were observed between the BRIEF-A and emotional distress in both the healthy group and in neurological groups, while no or weak relationships with IQ and performance-based tests of executive function were seen. The relationship between BRIEF-A and emotional distress was weaker in the neuropsychiatric patient groups, despite high symptom load in both domains. Healthy participants tended to have BRIEF-A scores 1/2-3/4 SD below the U.S. normative mean of T score=50.
  
  
  
  The study demonstrates the need to interpret BRIEF-A results within a broad differential diagnostic context, where measures of psychological distress are included in addition to neuropsychological tests. Uncertainty about the appropriateness of U.S. normative data in non-U.S. countries adds to the need for interpretive caution. (JINS, 2016, 22, 682-694).
authors.affiliation: 1Research Department,Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital,Nesoddtangen,Norway.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Løvstad
authors.affiliation: 1Research Department,Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital,Nesoddtangen,Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigurdardottir
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Psychology,University of Oslo,Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Psychology,University of Oslo,Norway.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Grane
authors.affiliation: 6Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT),KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research,Division of Mental Health and Addiction,Oslo University Hospital,Norway.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moberget
authors.affiliation: 1Research Department,Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital,Nesoddtangen,Norway.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stubberud
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Psychology,University of Oslo,Norway.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Solbakk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BRIEF-A; Executive functioning; Neuropsychology; assessment; emotional distress; neurological condition; neuropsychiatric condition; norms