Ecological assessment of executive dysfunction in the psychosis prodrome: A pilot study

Individuals with psychosis have prominent executive functioning (EF) deficits on neuropsychological tests, but their relationship to EF deficits in daily life is unclear. This study evaluates behavioral manifestations of EF deficits, assessed by the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF), and their clinical correlates in individuals at ultra-high-risk for psychosis (UHR). UHR subjects showed significantly elevated BRIEF scores, particularly on the Working Memory scale. BRIEF scores were associated with positive symptoms and functioning, but not with neuropsychological performance. The BRIEF appears to capture unique aspects of executive dysfunction, possibly associated with illness progression and functioning in the psychosis prodrome.