BASELINE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION PROFILES AND ORGANIZATIONAL TASK PERFORMANCE AMONG AUTISTIC ADOLESCENTS IN A KENYAN SPECIAL EDUCATION SETTING

Purpose of Study: The study described baseline executive-function profiles and organizational task performance among autistic adolescents in a Kenyan special education setting. It also examined individual patterns across informant-rated executive-function characteristics and directly observed performance. Problem Statement: Challenges in executive functions are commonly reported among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. These difficulties may impact on execution of complex, goal-directed tasks. Organizational skills are a function of executive functions representing high order processes such as initiation, working memory, organization, and self-monitoring. Informant-rated measures are commonly used to assess executive provide restricted information about how these processes manifest during specific functional tasks. Methodology: The study employed an exploratory descriptive design embedded within a multiple-baseline single-case experimental design involving five autistic adolescents aged 14–18 years at Nile Road Special School and Vocational Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Executive-function characteristics were assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2), with parent and teacher ratings where available. Direct observations were conducted during baseline sessions using a researcher-developed 17-step task-analysis checklist covering workspace organization and digital data entry. Result: BRIEF-2 teacher and parent ratings showed varied executive-function profiles, with individual concerns in initiation, working memory, cognitive regulation, and organization of materials. Despite these differences, independent baseline performance was uniformly low across all five participants (5.88%–10.30% of task steps), with wide variation in initiation latency (7.86–135.4 seconds), errors, and self-corrections. Informant ratings and direct task observation therefore offered complementary views of individual functioning, though P1’s total task time needs verification because the table and narrative are inconsistent. Recommendation: Larger, more diverse studies are needed to confirm how executive-function ratings relate to observed performance in autistic adolescents and to guide context-appropriate assessment and support. Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; executive functioning; organizational task performance; direct observation; functional assessment; special education.