Executive function in children with intellectual disability--the effects of sex, level and aetiology of intellectual disability.
The BRIEF Shift scale flags flexible-thinking trouble in kids with ID, and severity plus medical cause—not sex—drive the differences.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the BRIEF rating scale to caregivers of Bosnian children with intellectual disability. They wanted to see if sex, ID level, or cause of ID changed executive-function scores.
They used the same special-ed classroom sample that Memisevic et al. (2009) studied for epilepsy rates.
What they found
Kids with ID scored low on every BRIEF scale. Only the Shift scale showed differences: children with more severe ID and certain medical causes had worse scores.
Boys and girls looked the same on every measure.
How this fits with other research
Shire et al. (2022) later ran lab switching tasks and found two clear shifting subgroups inside ID. Their data back up the idea that shifting skill varies within ID, not just by IQ level.
Perez et al. (2015) linked those same BRIEF Shift scores to real-world behavior. Caregiver ratings predicted externalizing problems better than an ASD label alone.
Emerson et al. (2023) meta-review shows sex differences can appear when ID is paired with ASD. H et al. found no sex gap, probably because their sample was ID-only.
Leung et al. (2014) systematic review calls the BRIEF Shift scale the best screener for flexibility problems in neurodevelopmental samples, matching the choice made here.
Why it matters
Use the BRIEF Shift scale to spot which kids struggle with change. Severity and medical cause matter more than sex, so adjust transition plans and visual schedules for those factors. If you see high Shift scores, check for challenging behavior next—M et al. show the link is real.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Executive function is very important in the children's overall development. The goal of this study was to assess the executive function in children with intellectual disability (ID) through the use of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) teacher version. An additional goal was to examine the differences in executive function in relation to child's sex, level and aetiology of ID. METHOD: The sample consisted of 90 children with ID attending two special education schools in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. There were 42 children with mild ID and 48 children with moderate ID. Of those, 54 were boys and 36 were girls. Children were classified into three etiological categories: 30 children with Down syndrome, 30 children with other genetic cause or organic brain injury and 30 children with unknown aetiology of ID. Special education teachers, who knew the children for at least 6 months filled the BRIEF. RESULTS: Children with ID had a significant deficit in executive function as measured by the BRIEF. There were no statistically significant differences in executive function in relation to the child's sex. Level of ID had a significant effect on executive function. In relation to the aetiology of ID, the only significant difference was on the Shift scale of the BRIEF. CONCLUSIONS: Knowing what executive function is most impaired in children with ID will help professionals design better intervention strategies. More attention needs to be given to the assessment of executive function and its subsequent intervention in the school settings.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2014 · doi:10.1111/jir.12098