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Assessing executive function with the D-KEFS sorting test: normative data for a sample of the Italian adult population

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Abstract

One of the major problems in clinical neuropsychology is to apply ecological, easily administrable and sensitive tests that can help in the diagnosis of executive functions. In the present paper we present normative values for the D-KEFS sorting test (ST), exploring the ability of reasoning, categorization abilities, problem solving, flexibility of thinking and abstraction. We collected normative data in a group of 181 normal Italian subjects aged between 20 and 69 years old, matched for educational level. Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate the potential effects of age, sex and education. Age and education had a significant effect on ST performance. Our study provided normative data for the D-KEFS ST for the adult Italian population, corrections of raw scores for relevant demographic factors, and percentile grids for both baseline data and on re-testing after 9 months of follow-up. These normative Italian values support the use of the D-KEFS ST as a valid instrument for initial neuropsychological evaluation and longitudinal analysis of executive functions in clinical practice and for research purposes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ray Hill, an independent medical writer, who provided assistance with English language and copy editing and journal styling prior to submission on behalf of Springer Healthcare Communications. This assistance was funded by Novartis Farma, Italy.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no conflicts to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuropsychology Unit, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Via Nikolajewka 13, 25123, Brescia, Italy

    Flavia Mattioli, Chiara Stampatori, Fabio Bellomi, Cristina Scarpazza, Paola Galli & Chiara Guarneri

  2. Division of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health Experimental and Legal Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Barbara Corso & Cristina Montomoli

  3. Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Claudia Niccolai, Benedetta Goretti & Maria Pia Amato

  4. Psychological Service, Neurological Department, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy

    Elisa Riboni, Chiara Dalla Tomasina & Monica Falautano

  5. Multiple Sclerosis Center, Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Ruggero Capra

Authors
  1. Flavia Mattioli
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  2. Chiara Stampatori
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  3. Fabio Bellomi
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  4. Cristina Scarpazza
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  5. Paola Galli
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  6. Chiara Guarneri
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  7. Barbara Corso
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  8. Cristina Montomoli
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  9. Claudia Niccolai
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  10. Benedetta Goretti
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  11. Maria Pia Amato
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  12. Elisa Riboni
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  13. Chiara Dalla Tomasina
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  14. Monica Falautano
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  15. Ruggero Capra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Flavia Mattioli.

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Mattioli, F., Stampatori, C., Bellomi, F. et al. Assessing executive function with the D-KEFS sorting test: normative data for a sample of the Italian adult population. Neurol Sci 35, 1895–1902 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1857-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-1857-7

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