Confirmatory factor analysis of the BRIEF2 in a sample of youth with Down syndrome.
The BRIEF2 keeps its three-factor shape in Down syndrome, though Behavior and Emotion scales overlap more than expected.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team checked if the BRIEF2 rating scale keeps its three-part shape when parents rate youth with Down syndrome.
They ran a confirmatory factor analysis. This is a fancy way to test if the three planned sections—Behavior, Emotion, and Thinking—still show up clearly.
What they found
The three factors held up, but the Behavior and Emotion parts were tightly linked. They overlapped more than the test makers expected.
Still, the overall structure worked well enough to trust the scores.
How this fits with other research
Smit et al. (2019) already showed the older BRIEF gives steady scores in Down syndrome. Waldron et al. (2023) now adds that the newer BRIEF2 keeps the same three buckets, so you can switch versions without losing meaning.
Austin et al. (2015) found the preschool BRIEF-P also keeps three factors in Down syndrome. Together, these studies stretch the good news across age groups: the rating system stays stable from preschool through youth.
Scior et al. (2023) tried three hands-on cognitive flexibility tests in the same population and found none were ready for clinic use. The BRIEF2 parent form, in contrast, is ready today. The papers don’t clash—they simply show parent ratings are farther along than performance tasks.
Why it matters
You can keep using the BRIEF2 with confidence for youth with Down syndrome. Just remember that high scores on Behavior and Emotion scales might blur together, so look at both before you write goals. If a child shows elevated scores, dig deeper with interviews or observations rather than assuming two separate problems.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The factor structure of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, second edition (BRIEF2) has been widely examined in both typically developing children and specific clinical samples. Despite the frequent use of the BRIEF2 for measuring executive functioning in individuals with Down syndrome, no study has investigated the factorial validity or dimensionality of the BRIEF2 in this population. This study aimed to address this notable gap in the literature. METHODS: Parents of 407 children and youth with Down syndrome aged 6-18 years completed the BRIEF2 as part of different studies led by six sites. Three competing models proposed by previous studies were analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis: the theoretical structure of the BRIEF2 where the scales were constrained to load on three factors labelled as Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Regulation, a two-factor correlated model with the merged Behavioral and Emotional regulation, and a single-factor model. RESULTS: The three-factor model provided a better fit than the one- and two-factor models, yet a large correlation was observed between Behavioural and Emotional regulation factors. The results provide meaningful explanatory value for the theoretical structure of the BRIEF2. However, the Behavioral and Emotional regulation factors might be less differentiated and the two-factor structure of the BRIEF2 may also make theoretical and empirical sense. CONCLUSIONS: Although more studies are needed to further examine the factor structure of the BRIEF2 in youth with Down syndrome, this investigation provides preliminary support for the interpretation of the three executive function index scores provided by the BRIEF2: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Regulation.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2023 · doi:10.1111/jir.13000