Modeling the Latent Factor Structure of the "EXcEEDS" (EXecutive function Early Evaluation in Down Syndrome) Battery.
Kaylyn Van Deusen, Mark A Prince, Madison M Walsh and 8 others
PMID 40288773WHAT IT FOUND
The EXcEEDS battery for young children with Down syndrome splits into two distinct factors: one for inhibition tasks and another combining working memory, short-term memory, and flexibility.
This structure supports using the battery to measure early executive function without language or motor confounds.
Key findings
01Exploratory graph analysis identified two latent factors with positive associations between them.
02One factor included all three inhibitory control assessment performances.
03The other factor included measures of cognitive flexibility, working memory, and short-term memory.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was homogeneous in terms of race (86.2% white), ethnicity, and income. The study used a novel rank-order scoring method to include children at the floor, which requires further validation. The battery included only two working memory-related activities, which prevented the identification of a separate subcomponent for working memory versus short-term memory. The sample size, while substantial for this population, is smaller than typical psychometric validation studies.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (Extramural). No other conflicts of interest are explicitly detailed in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the two-factor structure as proof that inhibition is entirely separate from memory and flexibility in all developmental contexts. The authors note that alternative explanations exist, such as the difference in motor response requirements between the inhibition tasks (passive waiting) and the other tasks (active responding).