II. NIH TOOLBOX COGNITION BATTERY (CB): MEASURING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND ATTENTION
Abstract
In this chapter, we discuss two measures designed to assess executive function (EF) as part of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (CB) and report pediatric data from the validation study. EF refers to the goal-directed cognitive control of thought, action, and emotion. Two measures were adapted for standardized computer administration: the Dimensional Change Card Sort (a measure of cognitive flexibility) and a flanker task (a measure of inhibitory control in the context of selective visual attention). Results reveal excellent developmental sensitivity across childhood, excellent reliability, and (in most cases) excellent convergent validity. Correlations between the new NIH Toolbox measures and age were higher for younger children (3–6 years) than for older children (8–15 years), and evidence of increasing differentiation of EF from other aspects of cognition (indexed by receptive vocabulary) was obtained.
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Together with pediatric data, these findings support the suggestion that EF becomes increasingly differentiated from general intellectual function over the course of childhood and adolescence.
“Together with the results from the pediatric data from this validation study (Zelazo et al., 2013), which showed substantial age-related increases in discriminant validity during childhood, these findings support the suggestion that EF becomes increasingly differentiated from general intellectual function over the course of childhood and adolescence.”
From NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (CB): Validation of Executive Function Measures in Adults (2014) · cites this paper as Zelazo et al., 2013
The NIHTB-CB consists of seven tasks measuring different domains of cognitive function, including executive functioning, memory, processing speed, and language.
“The NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) consists of seven tasks measuring different domains of cognitive function, including EF, memory, processing speed, and language (Weintraub et al., 2014; Zelazo et al., 2013).”
From NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery Feasibility in Individuals With Williams Syndrome (2022) · cites this paper as Zelazo et al., 2013
The Dimensional Change Card Sort Test and the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test measure aspects of executive functioning, specifically cognitive flexibility (shifting) and inhibitory control/attention (inhibiting), respectively.
“The Dimensional Card Change Sort Test and the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test measure aspects of EF, specifically cognitive flexibility (shifting) and inhibitory control/attention (inhibiting) respectively.”
From NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery Feasibility in Individuals With Williams Syndrome (2022) · cites this paper as Zelazo et al., 2013
As a measure of fluid intelligence, NVIQ is expected to correlate with EF ability, such as the Flanker and DCCS.
“As a measure of fluid intelligence, it is expected that NVIQ correlates with EF ability, such as the Flanker and DCCS (Blair, 2006; Zelazo et al., 2013).”
From NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery Feasibility in Individuals With Williams Syndrome (2022) · cites this paper as Zelazo et al., 2013
This variation is often normally distributed, for example in executive functions.
“This variation is often normally distributed (Figure 1A), e.g., in executive functions (Zelazo et al., 2013).”
From Top-Down Dysregulation—From ADHD to Emotional Instability (2016) · cites this paper as Zelazo et al., 2013
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Cook, N. E., Iverson, G. L., & Karr, J. E. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1473095
- Authors
- Zelazo, P. D., Anderson, J. E., Richler, J., Wallner-Allen, K., Beaumont, J. L., & Weintraub, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Northwestern University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Zelazo, Philip David
- Venue
- Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2013-08
- Volume
- 78
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 16-33
- ISSN
- 0037-976X (ISSN-L)
- 1540-5834
- OpenAlex
- W1649192509
- Semantic Scholar
- c250b8f385552f7ced8e6d93442bec93baf54a0d
- Cited by
- 823
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 81 · 2025: 76 · 2024: 87 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 126 · 2021: 92 · 2020: 65 · 2019: 60 · 2018: 49 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 32.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Keywords
- NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery, executive function, attention, Dimensional Change Card Sort, flanker task, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, visual selective attention, computerized cognitive assessment, test validation, convergent validity, reliability statistics, age-related cognitive change
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Attention, Child, Humans, National Institutes of Health (U.S.), Neuropsychological Tests, United States, Reproducibility of Results, Validation Studies as Topic, Executive Function
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