Authentic Assessment of Executive Functions in Early Childhood: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Executive functions (EFs) are cognitive skills that begin developing in early life and are crucial for children’s overall development and daily task performance. Generally, EFs are assessed through standardized neuropsychological tests, which may not always accurately capture real-world application. To overcome this limitation, alternative methods such as authentic assessment have emerged. A scoping review was conducted to map the information available regarding the authentic assessment of EFs in children under 6 years of age from 2010 to 2021. Out of 790 documents, 32 met the eligibility criteria after full-text revision. Two rating scales emerged as the most used EFs assessment instruments. The documents did not explicitly mention the term “authentic assessment.” Four commonly assessed EFs were identified. Findings highlight the need to develop multidimensional authentic assessment instruments to assess early EFs skills in all children. This includes children at risk or with developmental disabilities, and children from families with incomes below the poverty threshold.