Association between performance-based and ratings of Turkish children’s executive function

Abstract

This study is an examination of similarities and discrepancies between performance-based measures and ratings (parents and teachers) of executive function in children. Data were collected from 200 Turkish children (103 boys) and, their parents and teachers. Children’s ages ranged from 36 to 71 months (M = 54.01, SD = 9.65). Parents and teachers reported on children’s executive function using the Children's Behavior Questionnaire and Children’s Executive Functioning Inventory. We used eight structured tasks of The Executive Function Touch to assess children’s performance-based executive function. Primarily, based on confirmatory factor analysis, the unidimensional structure of the EF Touch was confirmed with Turkish children. Poor agreement between performance-based and ratings (parents and teachers) was found. In addition, there were also discrepancies between parents and teachers in their ratings of children’s executive function. These observed discrepancies highlight the importance of multi-informant measures of children’s executive function for comprehensive understanding.