Date of Award

2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Poreh, Amir

Subject Headings

Psychological tests, Neuropsychological tests, Stroop test, Self-corrections, Neuropsychological tests

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to collect normative data for a computer-assisted version of the Comalli Stroop Test, a commonly used neuropsychological measure. Additionally, the study was aimed at investigating the self-corrected errors on the Stroop Test, which have not previously been accounted for on the traditional test versions. Participants included one hundred and seventy two individuals from Cleveland State University and the community. Participants were administered computer-assisted versions of the Comalli Stroop Test and Trail Making Test. Participants were also asked to rate their agreement to four statements on a 5-level Likert scale to assess self-perceptions of testing. Errors, self-corrected errors, and time of completion for both tasks were recorded. Answers to the Self-Monitoring Scale were scored and recorded. The results of this study show that age and education both affected the quantity and location of errors and self-corrected errors on the Stroop Test. The Trail Making Test, which was used to validate the errors on the Stroop Test, showed a similar pattern of location of errors to the Stroop Test. Errors were frequently made in the middle to later portions of these tests, whereas self-corrections were made in the earlier portions. This pattern is partially due to participants' limited cognitive and attention resources as the tests progress. The results of this study suggest that self-corrections are measuring a separate construct than errors on the Stroop Test. The ability to self-correct on the Stroop Test is a sign of mental health, flexibility, and ability to self-monitor. Utilizing the self-corrected errors on the Stroop Test gives test administrators an additional tool in detecting control, and higher mental processes. Also, the results demonstrate that errors are measuring a separate construct than time of completion. The traditional approach to neuropsychological testing examines the total number of errors and time of completion for the entire task, rather than examining the critic

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