Arabic version of the Hayling sentence completion test: scale validation, normative data and factors associated with executive functions in a sample of the Lebanese adults

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted for several reasons, primarily because of the lack of an Arabic version of the HSCT that could be beneficial in our clinical practice. Another reason is the need to find potential relationships between various factors with executive functions, especially problematic mobile phone use as suggested by many previous studies, since smartphones have become, nowadays, a daily companion of people from all generations. Thus, it is important to conduct this study in Lebanon to be adapted to the ideas, customs and social behavior of the Lebanese citizens. Hence, the objectives of the current study are to use the Arabic version of the HSCT in healthy community-dwelling Arabic-speaking adults in Lebanon, to check its validity compared to other versions of the test, as well as to identify risk factors that might affect the executive functions in these adults. 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 committed were recorded. RESULTS: None of the scale items was removed. For the automatic condition, response-time items converged over one factor (α(Cronbach) = 0.905) and number of errors converged over seven factors (α(Cronbach) = 0.334). For the inhibition condition, response-time converged over one factor (α(Cronbach) = 0.943) and number of errors converged over four factors (α(Cronbach) = 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 set normative data for the HSCT Arabic version for use in the Lebanese population. Problematic mobile phone use was associated with lower inhibitory control in terms of response-time and errors number.