Parent–child agreement on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) in a community sample of adolescents

ABSTRACT

Despite its widespread use, a minimal amount is known regarding the agreement between parent and youth ratings of youth’s executive functioning on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) in typically developing youth. The present study examined parent–child agreement on the BRIEF with a community sample of adolescents and their parents. Ninety-seven parent–child dyads (M_age = 13.91 years; SD = .52) completed the BRIEF self- and parent-report forms and a demographic questionnaire. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) and paired sample t-tests were used to evaluate agreement between self- and parent-reports on the BRIEF. Total sample ICCs indicated moderate to good parent–child agreement (0.46–0.68). Parents from the total sample reported significantly higher mean T-scores for their adolescents on Inhibit, Working Memory, Planning/Organization, Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI), Metacognition Index, and Global Executive Composite. Differences were found in regard to gender and race/ethnicity: ICCs were higher between parent–girl dyads on the scales that comprise the BRI than between parent–boy dyads. Parent–adolescent ICCs were also higher for adolescents who self-identified as White in comparison to those who identified as Non-White/Mixed Race on Emotional Control. These findings suggest gender and racial/ethnic differences should be considered when examining parent–child agreement on the BRIEF in typically developing adolescents.

KEYWORDS:

• Brief
• executive functioning
• parent–child agreement