Validation of the executive function strategy awareness and use questionnaire (SAUQ) in a university student population.

The aim of the study is to design and evaluate the Strategy Awareness and Use Questionnaire to estimate students' awareness and use of strategies that optimize control of attention and/or compensate for stress on an executive system due to environmental and/or neurobiological influences. One hundred and forty-eight undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines at an urban Canadian university campus participated in the Spring 2019 semester. An item analysis was conducted that included an assessment of dimensionality and item trimming. Findings from an exploratory factor analysis suggest a seven-factor solution is optimal; Comprehension Monitoring, Planning/Organization, Self-Reward, Self-Regulation, Organization with Mobile Phone Technology, Regulating Technology, and Organization of Materials. This measure is likely to benefit students, as well as counselors and coaches interested in improving EF strategy use among students in a university population.