Arabic version of the Hayling sentence completion test: Validation and factors associated with executive functions in a sample of the Lebanese adults

Abstract

Background To validate the Arabic version of the Hayling Sentence Completion Test (HSCT) in healthy community-dwelling Lebanese adults, and identify factors that might affect executive functions (EF), mainly inhibitory control, in these participants. Methods Between August-December 2019, 350 participants were randomly selected. The Arabic version of the HSCT, divided into automatic and inhibition conditions, was used; in each condition, participants’ response-time and number of errors commited were recorded. Results None of the scale items was removed. For the automatic condition, response-time items converged over one factor (αCronbach=0.905) and number of errors converged over seven factors (αCronbach=0.334). For the inhibition condition, response-time converged over one factor (αCronbach=0.943) and number of errors converged over four factors (αCronbach=0.728). Using electricity as a heating method inside the house was significantly associated with a lower response-time, whereas higher problematic mobile phone use was associated with higher response-time. Using wood as a heating system inside the house and higher problematic mobile phone use were associated with higher number of errors, while using Arabian incense (bakhour) inside the house was associated with lower number of errors. Conclusion We were able to validate the HSCT Arabic version for use in the Lebanese population. Problematic mobile phone use was associated with lower executive functions in terms of reponse-time and number of errors.