Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention

CHARACTERIZATION: The test assesses selective attention, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility (components of executive functioning), but also involves a verbal skill (reading). STRUCTURE AND SCORING: The test includes three cards: 1) a pre-test color recognition card, with 4 “X” printed in four different colors [black (hex: 000000), blue (hex: 0096FF), green (hex: 00E000),pink (hex: FF72DE)]; 2) a reading and naming color training card with 4 words written in four incongruent colors; 3) a stimulus card with four columns of 28 items each (total 112 words) for the reading task and for the interference task. The interference task involves the naming of the color of words, which are written in incongruent colors. After color recognition (card 1), reading and naming training (card 2), participants are instructed to read words and to name colors, as fast as possible (card 3). In both tasks the numbers of the correct answers are recorded (total of answers less the errors), registering the time spent in each task, in the maximum time of 120 seconds. The speed reduction in the interference task is referred as word-color interference effect. The difference between scores in the reading (number / 120 sec.) and naming (number / 120 sec.) tasks allows to compute the inhibitory control index. PSICOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS: Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach’s alphas for reading and naming tasks were excellent (α = 0.99). Test-retest reliabilities were adequate (Reading: r = 0.48; p = .06; Naming: r = 0.85; p < .001; inhibitory control index: r = 0.61; p < .01). Naming scores correlated with measures of executive functioning (Frontal Assessment Battery: r = 0.33; p < .01; Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure: r = 0.33; p < .01), assuring its convergent validity.