Practice effects on the modified concept shifting task (mCST): a convenient assessment for treatment effects on...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Trail-making tests like the Concept Shifting Task (CST) assess cognitive performance in neuropsychological disorders.
• Practice effects during repeated testing can confound treatment outcome assessments.
• A modified CST (mCST) was developed to be resistant to practice effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of repeated administration on the accuracy and duration of performance on the mCST.
• To differentiate between true treatment effects and practice-related improvements in cognitive testing.

Main Methods:

• 54 healthy participants completed the mCST twice daily for eight days.
• Testing occurred before and after a short break within each session.
• Statistical analyses included ANOVA and meta-analysis to assess practice effects.

Main Results:

• No significant improvement in mCST accuracy was observed between the first and last trials or within sessions.
• Participants demonstrated significantly faster performance on the last trial compared to the first trial.
• Performance speed also increased within sessions (after vs. before break).

Conclusions:

• The modified Concept Shifting Task (mCST) demonstrates resistance to practice effects regarding accuracy.
• Practice contributes to enhanced speed of performance on the mCST over time and within testing sessions.