Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults
Attention is an important, multifaceted cognitive domain that has been linked to three distinct, yet interacting, networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. The measurement of attention and deficits of attention within these networks is critical to the assessment of many neurological and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2016-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00823/full |
| _version_ | 1811238587758280704 |
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| author | Stephanie Anne Holland Jones Beverly C Butler Beverly C Butler Franziska eKintzel Anne eJohnson Ray eKlein Gail A Eskes Gail A Eskes |
| author_facet | Stephanie Anne Holland Jones Beverly C Butler Beverly C Butler Franziska eKintzel Anne eJohnson Ray eKlein Gail A Eskes Gail A Eskes |
| author_sort | Stephanie Anne Holland Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Attention is an important, multifaceted cognitive domain that has been linked to three distinct, yet interacting, networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. The measurement of attention and deficits of attention within these networks is critical to the assessment of many neurological and psychiatric conditions in both research and clinical settings. The Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB) was created to assess attentional functions related to the three attention networks using a range of tasks including: simple reaction time, go/no-go, choice reaction time, dual task, flanker, item and location working memory and visual search. The current study provides preliminary normative data, test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations) and practice effects in DalCAB performance 24-hours after baseline for healthy young adults (n = 96, 18-31 years). Performance on the DalCAB tasks demonstrated Good to Excellent test-retest reliability for mean reaction time, while accuracy and difference measures (e.g., switch costs, interference effects and working memory load effects) were most reliable for tasks that require more extensive cognitive processing (e.g., choice reaction time, flanker, dual task, and conjunction search). Practice effects were common and pronounced at the 24-hour interval. In addition, performance related to specific within-task parameters of the DalCAB sub-tests provides preliminary support for future formal assessment of the convergent validity of our interpretation of the DalCAB as a potential clinical and research assessment tool for measuring aspects of attention related to the alerting, orienting and executive control networks.Keywords: computerized assessment; attention; orienting; alerting; executive function |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:44:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b1a85c1f0bb54876b4838bea226a34fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:44:25Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b1a85c1f0bb54876b4838bea226a34fe2022-12-22T03:32:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782016-06-01710.3389/fpsyg.2016.00823186816Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adultsStephanie Anne Holland Jones0Beverly C Butler1Beverly C Butler2Franziska eKintzel3Anne eJohnson4Ray eKlein5Gail A Eskes6Gail A Eskes7Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityNova Scotia Health AuthorityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityNova Scotia Health AuthorityAttention is an important, multifaceted cognitive domain that has been linked to three distinct, yet interacting, networks: alerting, orienting, and executive control. The measurement of attention and deficits of attention within these networks is critical to the assessment of many neurological and psychiatric conditions in both research and clinical settings. The Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB) was created to assess attentional functions related to the three attention networks using a range of tasks including: simple reaction time, go/no-go, choice reaction time, dual task, flanker, item and location working memory and visual search. The current study provides preliminary normative data, test-retest reliability (intraclass correlations) and practice effects in DalCAB performance 24-hours after baseline for healthy young adults (n = 96, 18-31 years). Performance on the DalCAB tasks demonstrated Good to Excellent test-retest reliability for mean reaction time, while accuracy and difference measures (e.g., switch costs, interference effects and working memory load effects) were most reliable for tasks that require more extensive cognitive processing (e.g., choice reaction time, flanker, dual task, and conjunction search). Practice effects were common and pronounced at the 24-hour interval. In addition, performance related to specific within-task parameters of the DalCAB sub-tests provides preliminary support for future formal assessment of the convergent validity of our interpretation of the DalCAB as a potential clinical and research assessment tool for measuring aspects of attention related to the alerting, orienting and executive control networks.Keywords: computerized assessment; attention; orienting; alerting; executive functionhttp://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00823/fullExecutive Functiontest-retest reliabilityOrientingAlertingComputerized assessment |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie Anne Holland Jones Beverly C Butler Beverly C Butler Franziska eKintzel Anne eJohnson Ray eKlein Gail A Eskes Gail A Eskes Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults Frontiers in Psychology Executive Function test-retest reliability Orienting Alerting Computerized assessment |
| title | Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults |
| title_full | Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults |
| title_fullStr | Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults |
| title_short | Measuring the performance of attention networks with the Dalhousie Computerized Attention Battery (DalCAB): Methodology and reliability in healthy adults |
| title_sort | measuring the performance of attention networks with the dalhousie computerized attention battery dalcab methodology and reliability in healthy adults |
| topic | Executive Function test-retest reliability Orienting Alerting Computerized assessment |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00823/full |
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