Psychometric Validation and Nomological Network of the Amsterdam Executive Function Inventory (AEFI) in Ecuadorian Adolescents

Executive functions (EFs) are vital for cognitive self-regulation and goal pursuit during adolescence, yet validated rating scales remain scarce in Latin America. This study evaluated the psychometric properties, item-level operating characteristics, and nomological network of the Amsterdam Executive Function Inventory (AEFI) in an Ecuadorian adolescent sample (N = 830; aged 12–18 years; M = 14.30, SD = 1.75; 52.77% female). Employing a split-sample derivation and validation approach with ordinal diagonally weighted least squares estimation, the original 13-item structure yielded poor fit. Following item refinement, a revised 10-item, three-factor model across attention, self-control, and planning demonstrated robust cross-validated structural fit (robust CFI = 0.970, robust TLI = 0.958, robust RMSEA = 0.048, SRMR = 0.043) and scalar measurement invariance across early (12–14 years) and late (15–18 years) adolescence. Dimension-specific graded response modelling confirmed adequate item functioning, with measurement precision concentrated across average latent trait levels (θ = −2.0 to 2.0). Nomological network analyses corroborated construct validity via strong associations with self-reported behavioural dysregulation and affective disruption on the SENA and PAI-A, alongside expected cross-informant divergence across family and school reports and limited discriminant separation from somatic complaints. These findings establish the revised 10-item AEFI as a promising, structurally invariant, and psychometrically adequate brief self-report measure for developmental and educational research in Ecuadorian youth.