Development of Internet-based tasks for the executive function performance test

OBJECTIVE. The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT) is a reliable and valid performance-based tool to assess executive functions (EFs). This study’s objective was to develop and verify two Internet-based tasks for the EFPT. METHOD. A cross-sectional study assessed the alternate-form reliability of the Internet-based bill-paying and telephone-use tasks in healthy adults and people with subacute stroke (Study 1). It also sought to establish the tasks’ criterion reliability for assessing EF deficits by correlating performance with that on the Trail Making Test in five groups: healthy young adults, healthy older adults, people with subacute stroke, people with chronic stroke, and young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Study 2). RESULTS. The alternative-form reliability and initial construct validity for the Internet-based bill-paying task were verified. Criterion validity was established for both tasks. CONCLUSION. The Internet-based tasks are comparable to the original EFPT tasks and can be used for assessment of EF deficits.