Volume 24, Issue 2 (summer 2022)                   Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2022, 24(2): 99-112 | Back to browse issues page

Research code: 6282
Ethics code: E.A.00.07.04.04


XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Ashoor Zadeh E, Mousavi Nasab S M H, Towhidi A. Psychometric characteristics of inhibition component of executive functions: Comparing normal people with clinical disorders. Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2022; 24 (2) :99-112
URL: http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-1366-en.html
1- MSc of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Literature and Humanities Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
2- Associate Professor of Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, Literature and Humanities Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
3- Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Literature and Humanities Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Abstract:   (1019 Views)
Introduction
Executive functions can be considered neuropsychological skills necessary for planning, designing, and performing sequential complicated and purposive action. They also include some processes such as inhibition, flexibility, working memory, and selective attention (1, 2) and allow us to take purposeful actions (3). One of the main components of executive functions is inhibition, known as the mechanism of activity cessation and a common factor in all executive functions (4). Given the importance of this component in everyday life and its impact on many psychiatric disorders, tests such as the Wisconsin test have long been used manually and in the form of software in recent years for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes (18). Nevertheless, the majority of these tests are not based on a single theory of the inhibition component. In addition, since there is no coherent computer task in Iran that provides equal conditions for all subjects and clients to measure this component, this study is based on the Miyake and Friedman model, which is one of the most popular models in the field of executive functions. Therefore, an attempt was made to validate and accredit the set of tasks inhibiting the executive functions (Antisaccade, Stroop and Stop Signal) in the Iranian population and at different ages of adulthood.
Methods
The current research included various steps, such as conformity, validation, reliability, and comparison between normal individuals and individuals with clinical disorders to evaluate the reliability and validity of a set of tasks of the inhibition component and use these tasks in the Iranian version. In the first step of test conformity, an expert programmed the tests based on the guideline, and to Persian by researchers and one of the English Literature experts independently translated verbal and written sections in the computer-based version to Persian. Then, translations were evaluated, and the final form was adjusted after resolving errors. This version was reviewed by an expert in Persian Literature, an expert in English literature, and two experts in Psychology to solve the possible problems. Tests were prepared after the conformity of the translated version with the original version and resolving errors. In this regard, before running the developed computer-based version, a pilot study was conducted to receive feedback from participants regarding the software of the set of tasks of inhibition component and resolve its probable errors. Thus, 100 subjects aged 16-60 years old were selected from Kerman, East Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari using a convenience sampling method, with their racial and linguistic characteristics considered. Finally, the set of inhibition tasks was prepared in the format of the preliminary test. The next step addressed the psychometric characteristics of the test. Four hundred six subjects within the age range of 16-60 years old were selected using the convenience sampling method to assess the validity and reliability. Also, the Wisconsin Card Sorting test was utilized for evaluating concurrent validity. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, McDonald’s Omega test for internal consistency, and test-retest on 100 participants with intervals of 2-3 weeks were used to examine the reliability of the test. The research data were analyzed using SPSS-28 software.
Results
According to the findings, Antisaccade, Stroop, and Stop-Signal tasks have desirable content and face validity. Furthermore, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and the McDonald’s omega test in the sub-scale of the Antisaccade task were 0.91 and 0.91, and 0.89 and 0.88 in the Stroop sub-scale task, respectively, indicating strong internal consistency of these sub-scales. The reliability coefficient of 0.81 was also obtained for the Stop-Signal sub-scale using the test-retest method, representing the suitable reliability of this task. The significance of the data was achieved using MANOVA, showing the weak performance of the subjects with schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, brain injury, and depression compared to normal individuals.
Conclusion
The research results showed that the achieved reliability of a set of tasks (Antisaccade, Stroop, and Signal-Stop tasks) was desirable among Iranians. Moreover, the findings revealed the validity of the set of tasks of inhibition component among Iranians. In this regard, the content validity of the group of tasks was obtained based on the experts’ opinion on the content of the inhibition component sub-scale. Experts’ views on cognitive psychology regarding face validity showed the suitability of this tool based on the research objective. The research results showed considerable compatibility with the results of Friedman et al. (21), indicating the acceptable reliability and validity of the set of these tasks. The discriminant validity findings also showed a significant difference between healthy people and patients regarding the set of tasks of the inhibition component. The current study’s results revealed a significant difference between the scores of the set of inhibition tasks of normal people and people with Schizophrenia disorder. This finding is in line with the research results by Ettinger et al. (24) and Haugen et al. (26), addressing the lack of inhibition in patients with Schizophrenia disorder and the weak performance of response inhibition and interference control in the Schizophrenia spectrum. The other research findings also presented a significant difference between the performance of normal individuals and individuals with depression. Agreeably, these results are in line with the research findings of Aker et al. (29) regarding the lack of inhibitory processing and the stability of the lack of inhibition among depressed individuals, even after recovery. According to data analysis, individuals with Alzheimer's disease perform weaker than normal people in the set of inhibition tasks. These results are in line with the research results conducted by Naeser et al. (32) and Medina et al. (34), addressing the significance of the inhibitory defects and the difficulty of suppressing the automatic response in patients with Alzheimer's disease. The results of the current study also indicated a significant difference between the performance of normal people and people with brain injury in the set of inhibition tasks. These findings are in line with Gomez-de-Regil et al. (38), indicating that traumatic brain injury could affect the human’s perceptual ability to control unwanted actions or disturbing information. 
Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
In order to observe the ethical considerations, the researchers obtained informed consent from all participants. Moreover, participants were assured that all the information would remain confidential. Also, they could withdraw from the study if they were no longer interested in cooperation. The current research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman with the Code of E.A.00.07.04.04.
Authors' Contribution
Elaha Ashourzadeh and Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Mousavi Nesab carried out the initial design of the study, the selection of the topic and the stages of the research implementation. All three respected authors actively participated in checking and editing the final version of the article, as well as discussing the results of the study.
Funding
This research was conducted with the financial support of the cognitive science and technologies council (Code 6282).
Acknowledgment
This research was extracted from the MSc Thesis of the first author. The authors would like to express their gratitude to all the officials and respected personnel of Shahid Beheshti Psychiatric Hospital and Shafa Hospital of Kerman for their assistance in carrying out this research.
Conflict of Interest
The author declared no conflict of interest.
 
Full-Text [PDF 893 kb]   (293 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2021/11/24 | Accepted: 2022/05/9 | Published: 2022/08/11

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb