The parent-report Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI) in Italian preschoolers: factor structure, reliability, and criterion validity

Executive functions (EFs) are a set of high-level cognitive processes that enable children to perform a goal-directed behaviour. During the preschool years, EFs undergo significant developmental changes. Therefore, it is crucial to have reliable measures that accurately evaluate preschoolers' EFs in preschool-aged children. The present study aimed to investigate the factor structure of the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI), replicating the expected two-factor model in Italian preschoolers. A total of 210 Italian parents completed an online survey on their children aged between 36 and 72 months (Mage = 54.12; SDage = 11.22; 44.3% girls). A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the two-factor model of the CHEXI (working memory and inhibition) for Italian preschoolers, also demonstrating the invariance of the model across gender and age. Furthermore, the criterion validity of the CHEXI was established by examining correlations with the Children's Behavior Questionnaire. The present study provides evidence that the CHEXI is a valid and reliable rating measure for assessing EFs abilities of Italian preschoolers.