Dement Neuropsychol 2015 June;9(2):156-164 156 Original Article 156 Brazilian adaptation of the Hotel Task Cardoso CO, et al. Brazilian adaptation of the Hotel Task A tool for the ecological assessment of executive functions Caroline de Oliveira Cardoso 1 , Nicolle Zimmermann 1 , Camila Borges Paraná 2 , Gigiane Gindri 1 , Ana Paula Almeida de Pereira 2 , Rochele Paz Fonseca 1 ABSTRACT. Over recent years, neuropsychological research has been increasingly concerned with the need to develop more ecologically valid instruments for the assessment of executive functions. The Hotel Task is one of the most widely used ecological measures of executive functioning, and provides an assessment of planning, organization, self-monitoring and cognitive flexibility. Objective: The goal of this study was to adapt the Hotel Task for use in the Brazilian population. Methods: The sample comprised 27 participants (three translators, six expert judges, seven healthy adults, ten patients with traumatic brain injuries and one hotel manager). The adaptation process consisted of five steps, which were repeated until a satisfactory version of the task was produced. The steps were as follows: (1) Translation; (2) Development of new stimuli and brainstorming among the authors; (3) Analysis by expert judges; (4) Pilot studies; (5) Assessment by an expert in business administration and hotel management. Results: The adapted version proved adequate and valid for the assessment of executive functions. However, further research must be conducted to obtain evidence of the reliability, as well as the construct and criterion validity, sensitivity and specificity, of the Hotel Task. Conclusion: Many neurological and/or psychiatric populations may benefit from the adapted task, since it may make significant contributions to the assessment of dysexecutive syndromes and their impact on patient functioning. Key words: neuropsychology, executive functions, adaptation, Hotel Task. ADAPTAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DA TAREFA DO HOTEL: UMA FERRAMENTA PARA A AVALIAÇÃO ECOLÓGICA DAS FUNÇÕES EXECUTIVAS RESUMO. A busca por validade ecológica dos instrumentos neuropsicológicos vem recebendo uma atenção especial nos últimos anos, especialmente daquelas ferramentas que avaliam funções executivas. A Tarefa do Hotel é uma das tarefas ecológicas de exame executivo mais reconhecida internacionalmente, por examinar planejamento, organização, automonitoramento e flexibilidade cognitiva. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar o processo de adaptação da Tarefa do Hotel para uma versão brasileira. Método: A amostra constitui-se de 27 indivíduos (três tradutores, seis juízes especialistas, sete adultos saudáveis, dez pacientes pós traumatismocranioencefálico e um gerente de hotel). Cinco etapas foram conduzidas, replicadas ao longo do processo: (1) tradução, (2) desenvolvimento de novos estímulos e brainstorming entre os autores, (3) análise de juízes especialistas em neuropsicologia, (4) estudos pilotos e (5) julgamento de expert em administração e hotelaria. Resultado: A versão adaptada mostrou-se adequada e válida para avaliar componentes executivos, sendo necessários estudos futuros em busca de evidências de fidedignidade, validades de construto e de critério, sensibilidade e especificidade, considerando-se as particularidades de uma ferramenta ecológica. Conclusão: Muitas populações clínicas neurológicas e/ou psiquiátricas poderão se beneficiar do exame com a Tarefa do Hotel, por esta auxiliar no diagnóstico de síndrome disexecutiva relacionada à demanda de componentes executivos no cotidiano. Palavras-chave: neuropsicologia, função executiva, adaptação, Tarefa do Hotel. INTRODUCTION O ver recent years, considerable research and clinical attention has been dedicated to the associations and dissociations between executive functions (EF). his term refers to the ability to engage in goal-oriented, volun- tary and independent behaviors. 1 However, researchers have not yet agreed on a theoreti- cal model of EF, nor is there a consensus on which speciic components comprise EF. One This study was conducted at the Department of Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 1 Department of Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre RS, Brazil. 2 Department of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba PR, Brazil. Caroline de Oliveira Cardoso. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia (Cognicao Humana, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul – Av. Ipiranga, 6681 / Prédio 11 / Sala 932 – 90619-900 Porto Alegre RS – Brasil. E-mail: carolineocardoso@yahoo.com.br Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest. Received January 02, 2015. Accepted in final form March 27, 2015.