Assessment of Executive Function

An assessment of executive function is a series of tests used to analyze a set of cognitive skills that are at the heart of mental control and self-regulation. These tests are most commonly designed for children ages 11-18.

Executive processes represent a set of cognitive skills that are central to mental control and self-regulation. It is important for children who are showing signs of struggling with executive processes to obtain a proper diagnosis to catch and treat any disorders they may have while their brains are still developing. Issues associated with executive functioning can be due to a variety of genetic, environmental, and cultural factors. (1) Erin Badour and her expert team at NeuroZone are the leading neurofeedback practice in the Los Angeles area and offer extensive examinations such as assessments of executive function to evaluate a child or young adult’s overall mental function.

If you are interested in an assessment of executive function for your child, schedule a consultation with Erin and the NeuroZone team by calling (310) 821-3640.

About Assessments of Executive Function

Erin and her team at NeuroZone offer a comprehensive suite of evaluations and testing services to assess various cognitive functions and address neurological concerns. The evaluation of executive processing systems provides information about an individual’s ability to initiate and act in a goal-directed manner, manage cognitive skills simultaneously, and control emotional and behavioral responses. It also gives insights into a patient’s ability to solve problems, reason and infer, and monitor one’s course of action during tasks. The evaluation of executive processing systems typically involves four major assessments:

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – BRIEF

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) assessments test numerous executive function skills in children. This exam includes an 86-question questionnaire that is given to a child’s teachers and parents to gain feedback on their perspective of the child’s overall cognitive state. Among the measures tested for, BRIEF helps examine a child’s working memory, attention, and emotional control among other things.

Behavior Assessment System for Children – BASC-2

The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) assesses the behavior, emotions, and social skills of children and adolescents. The BASC-2 combines information from multiple sources, including teachers, parents, and the children themselves, using structured rating scales and forms. These forms evaluate areas such as aggression, social skills, and hyperactivity.

Burks Behavior Rating Scales – BBRS-2

The Burks Behavior Rating Scales, Second Edition (BBRS-2) evaluates behavioral and emotional issues in children and adolescents. The scale contains 100 items, which are rated by teachers, parents, or other adults familiar with the child’s behavior. Each item on the scale asks the person to rate the child’s tendency to exhibit certain behaviors on a scale of one to five. The test is rather simple to administer and interpret, and the overall score is compared to a representative sample of people the same age as the child.

Social Responsiveness Scale – SRS-2

The Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2) intends to test a child’s social communication and interaction skills. It is commonly given to children who are showing signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The SRS-2 contains 65 questions that are given to parents or teachers who grade the child’s behavior. Once the results are composed, they are divided into five separate categories: Social Awareness, Social Cognition, Social Communication, Social Motivation, and Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behavior. These subscales collectively provide a total score that indicates the severity of social struggles and helps distinguish ASD from other developmental or psychological conditions.

Benefits

There are many benefits to undergoing an assessment of an executive functioning test. This type of testing can help get to the root cause of any issues the child may have that are holding them back from achieving their full potential in school and life in general. By properly identifying any executive functioning issues a child may have, Erin and her staff can help identify treatment methods that will help put your child on the path to success. Some of the benefits of treatment methods offered by Erin and her staff might include, but are not limited to, the following:

Early intervention of executive functioning issues which are diagnosed through an assessment of executive function is associated with future benefits for the child, meaning the sooner a child undergoes this type of examination, the better. (2)

Ideal Candidates

Anyone looking to test their executive function can potentially be a candidate for an assessment of executive function NeuroZone. In general, this type of assessment is designed for young patients ages 11-18 who are showing signs of struggling with a broad range of cognitive difficulties. Candidates who seek this type of testing often include children who report dealing with:

Whether your child or loved one is a potential candidate for an assessment of executive function will ultimately be determined by Erin and her team during a personal consultation, as she may determine another assessment or perhaps a collection of assessments might be better suited for the candidate.

To see if your child is an ideal candidate for an assessment of executive function, schedule a free consultation with Erin and the NeuroZone team by calling (310) 821-3640.

Personal Consultation

It is important to recognize and diagnose executive functioning disorders as early as possible to help set your child up for success in the future, and the first step to doing so is scheduling a personal consultation with Erin and her staff. This consultation will allow Erin to gain a comprehensive set of knowledge about your child or cared-for individuals to come up with a personalized plan for them. By having in-depth conversations with both the child and their caregivers, Erin will be able to recommend the types of assessments and ultimately treatment plans she feels your child could benefit most from.

Erin will ultimately determine whether or not she feels your child could benefit from undergoing an Assessment of Executive Function, or perhaps if they are better suited for a different type of assessment offered by NeuroZone. It is only after a proper diagnosis has been made that Erin can recommend the correct course of action for treatment for any issues your child may have, and this starts with a personal consultation.

To schedule a free consultation with Erin, contact the NeuroZone team by calling (310) 821-3640.

Preparation and Assessment

Following your child’s initial consultation, assuming your child has been deemed a candidate who could benefit from further assessments, Erin will outline the steps you and your child or cared-for individual will need to complete to prepare for their evaluations. If your child is deemed eligible for an assessment of executive function, Erin will administer multiple different examinations that are meant to test for the following:

An assessment of executive function will typically involve four examinations but this could vary depending on the child and personalized treatment plan. Most of these examinations will require feedback from parents, teachers, or adults who know the child particularly well. The four assessments typically administered are:

These tests gather an extensive amount of information about the child and their perceived executive functioning.

Treatment

Once the assessment for executive function is completed, Erin will get to work on analyzing the results and subsequently coming up with a comprehensive personalized treatment plan for your child. After an official diagnosis is made, you and your child will return to Erin’s office to review this recommended treatment plan and see if moving forward with the treatment process is right for your child. Depending on the results, Erin might recommend one or perhaps several treatments and therapies offered at NeuroZone. These recommended treatments might include one or several of the following:

Each of these training and treatment programs can be further divided into a more extensive web of treatments designed to help correct any issues your child might be struggling with.

Results

Results can never be guaranteed, but Erin and the NeuroZone team pay strict attention to detail during the assessment, diagnostic, and treatment phases during assessments of executive function. Erin works tirelessly to ensure that a proper diagnosis is made so that she can handcraft a treatment plan designed to put your child on the path to success. NeuroZone offers no shortage of treatments once a diagnosis is made.

Do not just take it from us, NeuroZone has helped many people achieve satisfactory results with our various assessment and treatment plans. To hear testimonials from some of these satisfied clients, check out our reviews page.

Cost of an Assessment of Executive Function in Los Angeles

The cost of receiving an assessment of executive function will vary greatly for each individual depending on the types of tests performed. Every child is different, so naturally, every assessment is tailored toward the individual child. Once a diagnosis is made, Erin will recommend a comprehensive set of treatment options and give you a detailed cost estimate. Individuals may also opt for an abbreviated set of treatments that might perhaps be somewhat more budget-friendly.

References

1. Frisch C, Rosenblum S. Harnessing Daily Routines for Early Detection of Cool Executive Delays: Validating the EFORTS Questionnaire. Children. 2024;11(11):1281. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/children11111281
2. Souissi S, Chamari K, Bellaj T. Assessment of executive functions in school-aged children: A narrative review. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.991699