When theory met data: Factor structure of the BRIEF2 in a clinical sample

Objective: The BRIEF2 is the recent revision of a frequently employed measure of executive behaviors; however, no research has yet addressed the validity of the new measure’s theoretical design. Method: The present study examined the factor structure of the BRIEF2 in 5212 clinically referred youth (66% male, 5–18 years) via exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses of item-level responses. Results: Results from the EFA suggested the BRIEF2 has fewer factors than would be suggested by the nine theoretically derived scales. While the theoretical CFA model, that omitted item-level information, demonstrated the best fit, when the item-level information was employed there was a decrement in model fit statistics and several extremely high loadings suggested scale-level redundancy in measurement. When the scales were omitted, and the items were loaded directly onto the indices, there was very little change in item-level factor loadings. Conclusions: Findings suggest fewer than nine scales are needed and that clinical interpretation of the BRIEF2 may be more appropriate at the index, rather than scale, level.