Executive functions in adolescents as assessed with the BRIEF-2: Factor structure and relationship with antisocial behaviors and academic achievement

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the factor structure of the BRIEF-2 in Spanish-speaking adolescents and explore the relationship between the BRIEF-2 executive indices, antisocial behaviors (ASB), and academic achievement. The sample consisted of 122 adolescents aged 14 to 17 (M = 15.44, SD = 1.27). Data for the BRIEF Parent were collected from 148 subjects, and data for the BRIEF Teacher were obtained from teachers of 138 adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the three-factor solution that encompassed the indices of (1) behavior regulation, (2) emotion regulation, and (3) cognitive regulation best fit the data. Significant associations were found between intelligence, executive functions (EF), and ASB. Intelligence correlated with anxiety/withdrawal, whileEF correlated with aggressiveness. A critical finding from the path analysis was that EF completely mediated the relationship between aggressiveness and academic achievement. Additionally, Multigroup-CFA confirms that this mediation process was not moderated by sex. This study validates the factor structure of the BRIEF-2 in Spanish-speaking adolescents, offering a valuable contribution to the assessment of executive functioning in both clinical settings and research. Crucially, the evidence highlights EF as a key mechanism to target in interventions aiming to decrease aggressiveness and improve academic resilience against the negative impact of antisocial behavior.