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. 2023 Jul 13:14:1192555.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1192555. eCollection 2023.

Executive functions scale for university students: UEF-1

Carlos Ramos-Galarza  1   2 , Valentina Ramos  3   4 , Milenko Del Valle  5 , Nancy Lepe-Martínez  6 , Jorge Cruz-Cárdenas  7 , Pamela Acosta-Rodas  1 , Mónica Bolaños-Pasquel  2
Affiliations

Executive functions scale for university students: UEF-1

Carlos Ramos-Galarza et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Introduction: Executive functions are a set of mental abilities that allow human beings to consciously regulate their behavior and, in a university setting, will have a significant impact on student success during professional training.

Objective: To develop a scale to assess executive functions in a university setting.

Method: Using a sample of 1,373 university students from Chile (663) and Ecuador (710) between 17 and 33 years old (Mage = 20.53, SD = 2.34). A study was carried out to analyze the psychometric properties of the instrument using a reliability and validity analysis for a scale that assesses executive functions: conscious monitoring of responsibilities, supervisory attentional system, conscious regulation of behavior, verification of behavior to learn, decision making, conscious regulation of emotions, and management of elements to solve tasks.

Results: Adequate internal consistency parameters were found between α = 0.71 and 0.85. The seven executive functions proposed on the scale correlated proportionally between r = 0.42 and 0.62. In the confirmatory factor analysis, good fit indices were obtained in the model of the seven executive functions x2(413) = 1649.14, p = <0.001, CFI = 0.91, SRMR = 0.04 and RMSEA = 0.04.

Discussion: The research carried out reaches its conclusion stating that the scale that was developed has the psychometric properties to assess executive functions in the Latin American setting. The results regarding previous research and the contribution made in the line of research of executive functions are discussed.

Keywords: academic performance; behavior; executive functions; learning; university students.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Model of executive functions in a university setting.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Second-order executive functions model.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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