Background and purpose. Executive function (EF) deficits is a growing area of focus in pediatric occupational therapy practice. However, there is a lack of performance-based assessments of EF in preschool-aged children. This study sought to establish preliminary criterion-related validity of the Preschool Kitchen Task Assessment (PKTA), a test of EF in preschoolers developed by Christine Berg, Ph.D., OTR/L, in which children complete a multi-step craft project.
Subjects. Fifteen typically developing preschool-aged children participated in this study.
Methods. An exploratory design was used to assess criterion-related validity of the PKTA. Participants completed the PKTA along with several established neuropsychological assessments of EF: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), the Dimensional Change Card Sort, and the Forward and Backward Digit Span Tasks. Relationships between scores were examined by calculating a Pearson r correlation.
Results. A good significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and the BRIEF-P Inhibitory Control (r=.52), as well as the Inhibitory Self-Control Index (r=.53). A fair non-significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and BRIEF-P Global Executive Composite (r=.34), Emotional Control (r=.39) and Working Memory (r=.29) scores. Results showed a moderate non-significant relationship between the PKTA and the Backward Digit Span (r=-.48).
Discussion and conclusion. Results support the preliminary validity of the PKTA, particularly the strong relationships found with the BRIEF-P scores. The PKTA was sensitive to age-related cognitive development and demonstrated ecological validity. The PKTA is a promising tool to enable occupational therapists to assess for EF in this age group.
","abstract_html":"<p><strong><em>Background and purpose.</em></strong><strong> </strong>Executive function (EF) deficits is a growing area of focus in pediatric occupational therapy practice. However, there is a lack of performance-based assessments of EF in preschool-aged children. This study sought to establish preliminary criterion-related validity of the Preschool Kitchen Task Assessment (PKTA), a test of EF in preschoolers developed by Christine Berg, Ph.D., OTR/L, in which children complete a multi-step craft project.</p> <p><strong><em>Subjects. </em></strong>Fifteen typically developing preschool-aged children participated in this study.</p> <p><strong><em>Methods. </em></strong>An exploratory design was used to assess criterion-related validity of the PKTA. Participants completed the PKTA along with several established neuropsychological assessments of EF: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), the Dimensional Change Card Sort, and the Forward and Backward Digit Span Tasks. Relationships between scores were examined by calculating a Pearson <em>r </em>correlation.</p> <p><strong><em>Results. </em></strong>A good significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and the BRIEF-P Inhibitory Control (<em>r</em>=.52), as well as the Inhibitory Self-Control Index (<em>r</em>=.53). A fair non-significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and BRIEF-P Global Executive Composite (<em>r</em>=.34), Emotional Control (<em>r</em>=.39) and Working Memory (<em>r</em>=.29) scores. Results showed a moderate non-significant relationship between the PKTA and the Backward Digit Span (<em>r</em>=-.48).</p> <p><strong><em>Discussion and conclusion. </em></strong>Results support the preliminary validity of the PKTA, particularly the strong relationships found with the BRIEF-P scores. The PKTA was sensitive to age-related cognitive development and demonstrated ecological validity. The PKTA is a promising tool to enable occupational therapists to assess for EF in this age group.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Fry, Emily","Gilligan, Hayley","Henty-Clark, Liza","Weissensee, Jennifer"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Occupational Therapy","degree_level":"Master's Thesis","degree_discipline":"Occupational Therapy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Julia Wilbarger, PhD, OTR/L","Kitsum Li, OTD, OTR/L"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:04:35Z","subjects":["occupational therapy","pediatrics","assessment","executive function","preschool","validity"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholar.dominican.edu/masters-theses/152","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Julia Wilbarger, PhD, OTR/L","Kitsum Li, OTD, OTR/L"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Fry, Emily","Gilligan, Hayley","Henty-Clark, Liza","Weissensee, Jennifer"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1970-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Occupational Therapy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Occupational Therapy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["occupational therapy","pediatrics","assessment","executive function","preschool","validity"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/masters-theses/152"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background and purpose. Executive function (EF) deficits is a growing area of focus in pediatric occupational therapy practice. However, there is a lack of performance-based assessments of EF in preschool-aged children. This study sought to establish preliminary criterion-related validity of the Preschool Kitchen Task Assessment (PKTA), a test of EF in preschoolers developed by Christine Berg, Ph.D., OTR/L, in which children complete a multi-step craft project.
Subjects. Fifteen typically developing preschool-aged children participated in this study.
Methods. An exploratory design was used to assess criterion-related validity of the PKTA. Participants completed the PKTA along with several established neuropsychological assessments of EF: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), the Dimensional Change Card Sort, and the Forward and Backward Digit Span Tasks. Relationships between scores were examined by calculating a Pearson r correlation.
Results. A good significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and the BRIEF-P Inhibitory Control (r=.52), as well as the Inhibitory Self-Control Index (r=.53). A fair non-significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and BRIEF-P Global Executive Composite (r=.34), Emotional Control (r=.39) and Working Memory (r=.29) scores. Results showed a moderate non-significant relationship between the PKTA and the Backward Digit Span (r=-.48).
Discussion and conclusion. Results support the preliminary validity of the PKTA, particularly the strong relationships found with the BRIEF-P scores. The PKTA was sensitive to age-related cognitive development and demonstrated ecological validity. The PKTA is a promising tool to enable occupational therapists to assess for EF in this age group.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Preschool Kitchen Task Assessment (PKTA): Assessing Validity of a Performance-based Assessment of Executive Function"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Julia Wilbarger, PhD, OTR/L","Kitsum Li, OTD, OTR/L"],"dc:creator":["Fry, Emily","Gilligan, Hayley","Henty-Clark, Liza","Weissensee, Jennifer"],"dc:date.available":["1970-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background and purpose. Executive function (EF) deficits is a growing area of focus in pediatric occupational therapy practice. However, there is a lack of performance-based assessments of EF in preschool-aged children. This study sought to establish preliminary criterion-related validity of the Preschool Kitchen Task Assessment (PKTA), a test of EF in preschoolers developed by Christine Berg, Ph.D., OTR/L, in which children complete a multi-step craft project.
Subjects. Fifteen typically developing preschool-aged children participated in this study.
Methods. An exploratory design was used to assess criterion-related validity of the PKTA. Participants completed the PKTA along with several established neuropsychological assessments of EF: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), the Dimensional Change Card Sort, and the Forward and Backward Digit Span Tasks. Relationships between scores were examined by calculating a Pearson r correlation.
Results. A good significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and the BRIEF-P Inhibitory Control (r=.52), as well as the Inhibitory Self-Control Index (r=.53). A fair non-significant correlation was found between the PKTA total score and BRIEF-P Global Executive Composite (r=.34), Emotional Control (r=.39) and Working Memory (r=.29) scores. Results showed a moderate non-significant relationship between the PKTA and the Backward Digit Span (r=-.48).
Discussion and conclusion. Results support the preliminary validity of the PKTA, particularly the strong relationships found with the BRIEF-P scores. The PKTA was sensitive to age-related cognitive development and demonstrated ecological validity. The PKTA is a promising tool to enable occupational therapists to assess for EF in this age group.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/masters-theses/152"],"dc:subject":["occupational therapy","pediatrics","assessment","executive function","preschool","validity"],"dc:title":["The Preschool Kitchen Task Assessment (PKTA): Assessing Validity of a Performance-based Assessment of Executive Function"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Occupational Therapy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Occupational Therapy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:04:35Z"}