Latent State Trait Modelling of Executive Functions

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Executive functions are of great importance in the control of cognitive, perceptual and motor processes and allow goal-oriented, flexible behaviour. The measurement of performance in executive function paradigms and their individual differences plays an important role in cognitive psychological, neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric research. A fundamental assumption of these studies is the reliability of the dependent variables and the existence of large trait components; however, relevant findings in the literature are heterogeneous. Moreover, an estimation of the trait and state components of variance by means of latent state trait theory (LST) is missing so far. The proposed project wishes to fill this gap in the literature and additionally aims to provide data that allow conclusions on the required number of trials in each experimental task. To do so, 250 healthy, young men and women will be examined using a comprehensive executive functions battery. The executive functions under investigation are inhibition, working memory (updating) and cognitive flexibility (shifting). The sample will be examined with the test battery on three occasions at weekly intervals. Classic measures of test-retest reliability and internal consistency and, using structural equation modelling, LST parameters will be obtained.