Executive dysfunctions among boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): performance-based test and parents report.
Both BADS-C and BRIEF reliably detect EF deficits in 8-11-year-old boys with ADHD, so pick the one that fits your assessment goals.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Shimoni et al. (2012) compared executive function in boys with ADHD and typical boys. They used two tools: a hands-on test called BADS-C and a parent form called BRIEF.
All boys were 8 to 11 years old. The study asked if the two tools tell the same story.
What they found
Boys with ADHD scored worse on both tools. The two measures agreed at a moderate level.
In plain words, both the test and the parents saw the same EF problems.
How this fits with other research
Ng et al. (2019) found the opposite pattern: parent ratings and lab tests often disagreed. The difference is that Rowena mixed ASD and ADHD kids, while Ma'ayan kept to ADHD boys. Mixed groups can hide agreement.
Harkness et al. (2025) later showed parent-report EF scales beat direct tests at telling ADHD from typical kids. This finding builds on Ma'ayan's small sample and makes it larger and stronger.
Qian et al. (2013) tracked the same boys over time and found that inhibition and shifting mature more slowly in ADHD, while working memory keeps pace. Ma'ayan's snapshot fits inside this longer picture.
Why it matters
You can trust either BADS-C or BRIEF to flag EF deficits in 8-11-year-old boys with ADHD. If you need a quick screen, use the BRIEF. If you need detailed data for an IEP goal, add BADS-C. Either way, you are not forced to pick both.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Difficulty in executive functions (EF) is a core symptom of ADHD. Yet, the EF assessments are still in controversy. It is still unclear whether the everyday implementation of EF can be assessed under laboratory conditions. Therefore, the purposes of the present study are: (a) to examine EF among boys with ADHD both in everyday behavior (as reported by parents) and in a performance-based test. (b) To examine correlations between the two tests. Both the Behavior Assessment of Dysexecutive Functions for Children (BADS-C) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF) were independently applied to 25 boys aged 8-11 years with ADHD and 25 age-matched typical boys. Results of the two assessments were compared between the two groups to indicate differences in EF. Correlations between the two assessments for all participants were evaluated. Overall, significant differences in EF were found between the two groups on both assessments. Significant correlations were found between BADS-C and BRIEF, specifically in metacognition but not in behavioral regulation. Findings indicate that poor EF manifests itself in everyday behavior. These difficulties are found in metacognitive and behavioral regulation components. Nevertheless, applying a valid ecological assessment of behavior regulation merits future research.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2012 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.12.014