Faculty Collaboration Database

A task to manipulate attentional load, set-shifting, and inhibitory control: convergent validity and test-retest reliability of the Parametric Go/No-Go Test. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2007 Nov;29(8):842-53

Date

09/14/2007

Pubmed ID

17852593

DOI

10.1080/13803390601147611

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-36348968157 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   120 Citations

Abstract

Traditional neuropsychological measures of executive functioning are difficult to employ in functional imaging and clinical trial contexts and have tremendous practice effects. They also have poor sensitivity and specificity, while test-retest reliability is often not assessed in computer-based tests. The present study evaluates some psychometric properties of a new Parametric Go/No-Go (PGNG) Task. The PGNG consists of three levels of difficulty assessing attention, set-shifting, and processing speed, with the two more difficult levels assessing inhibitory control. A total of 63 healthy control participants were recruited at two sites to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PGNG. The PGNG was found to have solid parametric characteristics and strong test-retest reliability. Modest convergent validity was also demonstrated with other executive-functioning tests. Learning effects were significantly less than those for the Trail Making Test. The present results provide solid initial support for the validity and reliability of the PGNG.

Author List

Langenecker SA, Zubieta JK, Young EA, Akil H, Nielson KA

Author

Kristy Nielson PhD Professor in the Psychology department at Marquette University

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Attention
Female
Humans
Male
Psychometrics
Reaction Time
Reference Values
Reproducibility of Results
Sensitivity and Specificity