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. 2013 Aug;78(4):70-87.
doi: 10.1111/mono.12035.

V. NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (CB): measuring working memory

V. NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (CB): measuring working memory

David S Tulsky et al. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev. 2013 Aug.

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the NIH Toolbox List Sorting Working Memory Test, which was developed to assess processing speed within the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (CB). This test is a sequencing task requiring children and adults to process stimuli (presented both visually and auditorily) and sequence the stimuli according to size. We describe the development of the NIH Toolbox List Sorting Working Memory Test, highlighting its utility in children. We examine descriptive data, test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. Results indicated that List Sorting performance was positively correlated with age indicating that performance on the task improved throughout childhood and early adolescence. Further, test-retest reliability coefficients were high and there was support for both convergent and discriminant validity. These data suggest that the NIH Toolbox List Sorting Working Memory Test is reliable and shows evidence of construct validity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Examples of One-List and Two-List List Sorting Task
Legend: 1-List List Sorting requires participants to sequence items according to a single category, whereas 2-List List Sorting requires sequencing that involves an alternation between two different categories.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Toolbox List Sorting Working Memory Test scores by age (means +/− 2 standard errors.

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