Validez convergente entre la prueba de realidad virtual Ice Cream y el Five Digit. Test para la evaluación de las Funciones Ejecutivas

Abstract

Introduction.

Many tests of Executive Function (EEFF) evaluation show lack of ecological validity. Ice Cream (IC) allows the assessment of EEFF by including elements of daily life, in this way, the assessment resembles real life.

Objectives.

To analyse the convergent validity between the IC Virtual Reality (VR) test and the traditional FDT. To find out if there is a correlation between the main indices of these EEFF between both tests and if they tend to be grouped under the same factor.

Methods.

The sample consisted of 32 participants (controls: n = 16, mean age: M = 26.375 (SD = 10.776); ASD grade 1: n = 16, mean age: M = 27.750 (SD = 9.747), of which 59.4% were male and 40.6% were female. The instruments implemented for the assessment were: 1) Sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, 2) FDT «paper and pencil» test and, 3) a virtual reality IC test. The assessment process was carried out by a trained psychologist and under monitored circumstances at the University Loyola Andalucía (ULA) and the Hogar Virgen de los Reyes in Seville. A correlation between the main variables of both tests were developed, mean comparisons were performed to study the differences in EEFF between the two groups and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were performed.

Results.

Significant correlations were found between both tests, although the FDT flexibility index did not correlate with those of IC. The variables in each test tend to cluster together and independently of the other test, except for the Flexibility measure. Finally, no significant differences were identified between the control and experimental groups in Flexibility and Inhibition for the FDT, nor in Interference and Perseverations of flexibility in the IC.

Conclusions.

Although correlation between both tests were found, the were not as similar as expected. The IC Flexibility measure did not correlate significantly with the FDT Flexibility measure, but it did correlate significantly with the FDT Alternation measure. Finally, processing speed influenced performance in ASD grade 1.