This week’s blog was contributed by Terri Sisson, EdS, educational assessment advisor, national accounts. Terri spent more than 20 years in public schools as a licensed school psychologist. She is a past president of the Virginia Association of School Psychologists.
Many students with executive function deficiencies find their performance in both the home and classroom environments is negatively impacted. When I practiced in the schools, I wrote my recommendations with parents and teachers in mind, as these were the people who would read and use my recommendations. I found that if the intended audience understood executive functions and how they impact learning, they were more likely to be effective at implementing successful strategies.
Lauren Kenworthy, PhD, coauthor of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, 2nd Ed. (BRIEF2) and the Unstuck and on Target! curriculum, and her colleagues have created a free video series designed for parents and teachers that explains different executive function concepts and provides recommendations for intervention.
Some videos are designed specifically for teachers and offer free training (with continuing education credits). For parents, informative videos and tip sheets help explain the executive functions in a way they can easily understand. Some videos are available in Spanish.
Although the videos support the Unstuck and on Target! curriculum, which improves flexibility, planning, organization, problem solving, and coping, they provide useful information for all parents and teachers about how to improve executive functioning in students. Check out the videos for teachers or parents and share them with others who may benefit.
Learn more about Unstuck and on Target!
Administration and scoring for the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is now available on PARiConnect! The WCST assesses perseveration and abstract thinking, and is considered a measure of executive function due to its reported sensitivity to frontal lobe dysfunction. Now with the WCST on PARiConnect, you can assess for executive functions in a way that fits your practice and your patient’s needs. Plus, the WCST on PARiConnect allows you to:
Practice social distancing by administering remotely.
Save valuable clinical time by letting PARiConnect score for you.
Choose 64- or 128-card version—one inventory gives you added flexibility!
Know that research has demonstrated general equivalence between computerized and card administration of the WCST.
Now you can purchase the quantities you need without the expense of software or licenses! Learn more about the WCST on PARiConnect!
Do you see students or clients with symptoms like restlessness, excessive talking, or difficulty staying on task? Sometimes, it can be difficult to know if the behaviors are age-appropriate and typical or if they might be signs of ADHD–the primary developmental disorder of executive function.
Find out quickly with the new BRIEF2 ADHD Form.
Using results from the BRIEF2, the gold-standard instrument for assessing executive function, the BRIEF2 ADHD Form takes a three-step approach to predict the likelihood of an ADHD diagnosis. This knowledge helps parents, clinicians, and educators get children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 years the supports they need—both in and out of the classroom.
Scoring is quick and straightforward, and existing BRIEF2 scores (or PARiConnect results) can be used–there’s no need to retest. Scores are first plotted alongside skylines of scores from children and adolescents known to have ADHD to help evaluators get an at-a-glance view of how their clients’ and students’ ratings compare. Next, using classification statistics and an evidence-based approach, scores from the BRIEF2 Working Memory and Inhibit scales are used to predict the likelihood of ADHD and determine likely subtype. Finally, specific responses on individual BRIEF2 items are compared to DSM-5™ ADHD criteria.
Results from the BRIEF2 ADHD Form can help professionals develop Individual Education Plans and provide academic interventions and accommodations and help get students on the path to success.
Coming to PARiConnect this summer!
PAR is proud to announce we have added a white paper to the BRIEF-P product page. This resource will help users learn more about enhanced interpretation of BRIEF-P ratings. The BRIEF-P is the first standardized rating scale designed to specifically measure the range of executive function in preschool-aged children.
You can find the new white paper under the Resources tab on the BRIEF-P page or via direct download from parinc.com/BRIEFP_white_paper.