Assessment of subtle cognitive-communication deficits following acquired brain injury: A normative study of the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES)

Abstract

Primary objective: To present a new measure, the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES), with evidence for its reliability and validity in a normative study. The FAVRES is designed to evaluate the subtle cognitive-communication deficits of individuals with ABI. Methods and procedures: The FAVRES consists of four complex, contextually rich, verbal reasoning tasks that simulate everyday situations and require processing of text and discourse. Scoring considers the time, accuracy and justification of reasoning responses. The FAVRES scores of 52 adults with ABI were compared to those of 101 adults without ABI. Outcomes: FAVRES scores clearly differentiated the performances of individuals with and without ABI. Individuals with ABI were slower and less accurate in reasoning and presented fewer adequate rationales for their decisions. Inter-rater reliability for scoring was acceptable. Conclusions: The FAVRES provides a reliable, functional and quantifiable measure of the cognitive-communication difficulties of individuals with ABI.

• Verbal reasoning
• cognitive-communication deficits
• assessment
• executive functions
• discourse
• mild brain injury
• MTBI
• communication