https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6658-768X
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Borja Costa-López, Rocío Juárez-Ruiz de Mier, Rocío Lavigne-Cerván, Ignasi Navarro-Soria, Psychometric Properties and Adaptation of the Parent-Report Version of the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Short-Form Scale in Spanish Children, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 2025;, acaf036, https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acaf036
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Abstract
Introduction
Executive functioning (EF) encompasses essential cognitive abilities crucial for self-regulation and goal achievement. The Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale in Children and Adolescents (BDEFS-CA) is a widely utilized tool for assessing EF in youth, with the short-form parent-reported version comprising twenty items.
Objective
This study aims to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the BDEFS-CA Short-Form in children, including factor structure, reliability, validity, and sex invariance.
Method
Following transcultural adaptation by bilingual experts, the Spanish version was administered to 377 parents of children aged 6–12. Convergent validity was assessed using the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI).
Results
Results from confirmatory factor analysis supported a bifactor model encompassing a general EF factor and specific subscales (Comparative Fit Index = 0.984; Root-Mean-Square Error of Approximation = 0.048; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual = 0.024): time management (TM), problem solving/organization (PS), inhibition (IN), motivation (MOT), and emotional regulation (ER). High internal consistency was observed for both the general EF factor (α/ω = 0.956) and its subscales (TM: α/ω > 0.89, PS: α/ω > 0.93, IN: α/ω > 0.94, MOT: α/ω > 0.91, ER: α/ω > 0.93). Convergent validity was confirmed through strong correlations between BDEFS-CA and CHEXI scores (r = 0.552–0.892, P < 0.001). Sex invariance analysis revealed similar factor structures for men and women.
Conclusions
The Spanish adaptation of the BDEFS-CA Short-Form demonstrates strong psychometric properties, making it a reliable tool for assessing EF in Spanish-speaking children. Its simplicity and suitability suggest potential use by adults for gathering children’s information.
