The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions

Current standardised neuropsychological tests may fail to accurately capture real-world executive deficits. We developed a computer-based Cooking Task assessment of executive functions and trialled the measure with a normative group before use with a head-injured population. Forty six participants c...

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Main Authors: Thomas Andrew Doherty, Lynne Ann Barker, Rebecca eDenniss, Abdurrahman eJalil, Martin eBeer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2015-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00022/full
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author Thomas Andrew Doherty
Lynne Ann Barker
Rebecca eDenniss
Abdurrahman eJalil
Martin eBeer
author_facet Thomas Andrew Doherty
Lynne Ann Barker
Rebecca eDenniss
Abdurrahman eJalil
Martin eBeer
author_sort Thomas Andrew Doherty
collection DOAJ
description Current standardised neuropsychological tests may fail to accurately capture real-world executive deficits. We developed a computer-based Cooking Task assessment of executive functions and trialled the measure with a normative group before use with a head-injured population. Forty six participants completed the computerised Cooking Task and subtests from standardised neuropsychological tasks, including the Tower and Sorting Tests of executive function from the D-KEFS, and the CAMPROMPT measure of prospective memory, in order to examine whether standardised executive function tasks, predicted performance on measurement indices from the Cooking Task. Findings showed that verbal comprehension, rule detection and prospective memory contributed to measures of prospective planning accuracy and strategy implementation of the Cooking Task. Results also showed that functions necessary for cooking efficacy differ as an effect of task demands (difficulty levels). Performance on rule detection, strategy implementation and flexible thinking EF measures contributed to accuracy on the Cooking Task Findings raise questions about the functions captured by present standardised tasks particularly at varying levels of difficulty and during dual-task performance. Our preliminary findings also indicate that Cooking Task measures can effectively distinguish between EF and FSIQ abilities. Results of the present study indicate that the Cooking Task shows promise as an ecologically valid measure of executive function for future use with a head-injured population and indexes selective EF’s captured by standardised tests.
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spelling doaj.art-d9ecf0f7d3a545b78334ed077f9baf1f2022-12-22T01:12:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532015-02-01910.3389/fnbeh.2015.0002291453The cooking task: making a meal of executive functionsThomas Andrew Doherty0Lynne Ann Barker1Rebecca eDenniss2Abdurrahman eJalil3Martin eBeer4Sheffield HallamSheffield HallamSheffield HallamSheffield HallamSheffield HallamCurrent standardised neuropsychological tests may fail to accurately capture real-world executive deficits. We developed a computer-based Cooking Task assessment of executive functions and trialled the measure with a normative group before use with a head-injured population. Forty six participants completed the computerised Cooking Task and subtests from standardised neuropsychological tasks, including the Tower and Sorting Tests of executive function from the D-KEFS, and the CAMPROMPT measure of prospective memory, in order to examine whether standardised executive function tasks, predicted performance on measurement indices from the Cooking Task. Findings showed that verbal comprehension, rule detection and prospective memory contributed to measures of prospective planning accuracy and strategy implementation of the Cooking Task. Results also showed that functions necessary for cooking efficacy differ as an effect of task demands (difficulty levels). Performance on rule detection, strategy implementation and flexible thinking EF measures contributed to accuracy on the Cooking Task Findings raise questions about the functions captured by present standardised tasks particularly at varying levels of difficulty and during dual-task performance. Our preliminary findings also indicate that Cooking Task measures can effectively distinguish between EF and FSIQ abilities. Results of the present study indicate that the Cooking Task shows promise as an ecologically valid measure of executive function for future use with a head-injured population and indexes selective EF’s captured by standardised tests.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00022/fullExecutive Functionneuropsychological assessmentEcological ValidityHead injurycooking task
spellingShingle Thomas Andrew Doherty
Lynne Ann Barker
Rebecca eDenniss
Abdurrahman eJalil
Martin eBeer
The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Executive Function
neuropsychological assessment
Ecological Validity
Head injury
cooking task
title The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions
title_full The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions
title_fullStr The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions
title_full_unstemmed The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions
title_short The cooking task: making a meal of executive functions
title_sort cooking task making a meal of executive functions
topic Executive Function
neuropsychological assessment
Ecological Validity
Head injury
cooking task
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00022/full
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