Introduction
Research Questions
- How do specific EF and regulation-related skills align with the measures used to assess them?
- What similarities and differences emerge across measures on four features: Skill Complexity, Developmental Stage, Developmental Domain, and Measurement Strategy?
- What are the relevant psychometric properties of each measure?
The purpose of the Executive Function Mapping Project Measures Compendium is to provide information about the range of measures available to assess executive function (EF) and other regulation-related skills. The field of EF and other regulation-related research is broad, rapidly-growing, and encompasses many related but distinct skills and competencies (Jones, Bailey, Barnes, & Partee, 2016). The resources provided in this compendium are designed to help researchers, program staff, child development specialists, and other professionals working in assessment and evaluation identify the measures that are most appropriate for the age, setting, and specific objectives of their work.
Purpose
This Compendium provides information about 44 measures available to assess executive function (EF) and other regulation-related skills. The Compendium is designed to be illustrative of the types and range of measures that are commonly used and to demonstrate and clarify the various approaches to assessing this broad domain. The resources in this compendium will help researchers, program staff, child development specialists, and other professionals working in assessment and evaluation identify the measures that are most appropriate for the age, setting, and specific objectives of their work.
Key Findings and Highlights
The Compendium describes 44 measures of executive function and other regulation-related skills and consists of four parts:
- Overview explains the type of information included in each part of the Compendium and how it can be used by researchers and other stakeholders
- Summary Table and Figures provide an at-a-glance view of 44 measures and how they compare to one another based on broad features that are relevant for specific purposes, such as age range or type of assessment
- Measures Chart summarizes the key information needed to identify and select measures, including the task description and psychometric properties
- Profiles provide additional details about each of the measures included in the compendium, including sample scores and notes about task or survey administration and how the measure has been used in prior research
Methods
To identify measures for inclusion, we conducted a literature review of studies of executive function and self-regulation, focusing on the early childhood period but also including research across the life span (see more about project methodology in the EF Mapping Project Report (PDF)). We coded each measure for the four features of the EF Mapping Project Framework: Skill Complexity, Developmental Stage, Developmental Domain, and Measurement Strategy. We compiled additional information for each measure by searching peer-reviewed journal articles for details such as task description, number of trials, task scoring, sample scores, use in research, and psychometric properties.
Recommendations
Researchers and stakeholders in early childhood can use this Compendium as a resource to clarify important distinctions in the broad literature on EF and other regulation-related skills. The tools provided in this Compendium can be used to identify measures that are appropriate for the age, setting, and objectives of specific child assessment and program evaluation efforts.
Citation
Bailey, R., Barnes, S. P., Park, C., Sokolovic, N., & Jones, S. M. (2018). Executive Function Mapping Project Measures Compendium: A Resource for Selecting Measures Related to Executive Function and Other Regulation-related Skills in Early Childhood. OPRE Report # 2018-59, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.