Color Trails Test: regression-based norms for Russian-speakers

The Color Trails Test (CTT) is widely used across cultures and necessitates culture-relevant norms due to cultural differences in the test performance. However, no norms exist for Russian-speakers. The study aims to: (a) establish regression-based CTT norms for Russian-speaking adults, and (b) compare CTT T-scores for Russian-speakers derived using regression-based norms (RBNs) with the manual norms.

Community-dwelling healthy Russian-speaking adults were administered the CTT using standard procedures. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to establish RBNs. The participant data were used to calculate two sets of T-scores, using: (a) RBNs and the leave-one-out analysis, and (b) CTT manual norms. These two sets of T-scores were compared by t-test.

The mean age of the 196 participants was 37 years [range: 18-86]; 108 (55%) were women, and 102 (52%) had at least university education. CTT completion time was associated with age and education, but not sex. CTT1 T-scores derived from regression-based were higher than manual norms (M difference = 2.39, SD difference = 5.51, p < .001). There was no difference between CTT2 T-scores. Regression-based norms identified fewer participants as performing below average (T ≤36): 7% vs. 18% for CTT1 and 7% vs. 10% for CTT2, p < .001.

The proposed RBNs, developed from a representative sample of Russian-speaking adults, will enhance assessment accuracy and improve diagnostic outcomes.