Why did you eliminate domain scores?

Frequently Asked Question:

Why did you eliminate domain scores?

Answer:

The domain scores were not included in the current version to make clear that subtests within a domain are multi-factorial, and the domain itself may cover many constructs. For example, The Word Generation task is frequently used as a measure of executive functioning to assess the constructs of cognitive flexibility, sustained effort, and strategic search or long-term memory; however, this task is also a language task. Children with poorly developed language skills may score low on this subtest even though they may have adequate executive functions.

The subtests within a domain may measure a component of that domain but may not be comprehensive indicators of all functions within the domain. For example, in the social cognition domain, facial affect recognition measures a very different component of the domain (e.g., understanding nonverbal communication) than does Theory of Mind (e.g., understanding the mental states of others). Both of these subtests are important indicators of the overall construct, but may not be highly correlated with one another due to their focus on specific skills within a larger domain.