Objective: Executive functions is an umbrella-term that encompasses cognitive processes that allow the self-regulation of behavior towards specific goals, is associated with many physical and mental health outcomes and develops mainly in adolescence. The unity and diversity model of executive functions (UDMEF) proposed the existence of three executive domains that are correlated yet separable, but this has been mainly determined in western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) nations, using tasks/stimuli that may not be adequate in other sociocultural contexts. To further the knowledge on aspects of executive functioning that may be universal and not restricted to WEIRD samples we propose an open access Free Research Executive Evaluation (FREE) test battery that includes tasks and stimuli that are adaptable considering sociocultural and economic particularities of testees (e.g., by using easily named pictures, shapes, colors and numbers and allowing administration with a simple computer/tablet). Methods: The FREE test battery includes two tasks each, drawn from the literature, of the three separable executive domains: shifting (Color-Shape and Category Switch tasks), updating (spatial 2-back task and the Number-Memory task) and inhibition (Stroop Happy-Sad and Stroop Victoria). To confirm the appropriateness of the test battery we tested the three factor solution of the UDMEF (configural invariance) using Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a sample of Brazilian (n = 276) and Iranian (N = 252) 9–15 year olds. Results: The three-factor solution of the UDMEF was replicated in both samples. Conclusion: The FREE battery holds promise for cross-cultural studies on the fractionation of executive functions.
