Table 2 Overview of secondary outcomes
Domain | Task | Test form | Response mode | Description | Dependent variable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Inhibition | INHIB [53] | S3, (go/no-go) | Response panel | A series of circles and triangles is displayed in succession on the screen. Whenever a triangle appears, the subject must press a green button. Circles do not require a response and occur rarely, whereas triangles appear frequently. This builds a dominant response tendency on the triangles. Hence, reactions to circles require inhibition. A total of 250 stimuli are presented, comprising 202 triangles and 48 circles. | Number of commission errors (number of false reactions to circles) |
STROOP [48] | S7 | Response panel | The task is described in detail in the primary outcomes section. | Reading interference tendency | |
Shifting | SWITCH [54] | S1 | Response panel | A sequence of triangles and circles appears one by one on the screen. The figures are either dark or light grey. The task is to categorise each stimulus alternately by shape or brightness. After every two stimuli the feature to be attended changes. In case of an incorrect response, the feature to be considered in the next stimulus is displayed (e.g. shape). This hint helps the respondent return to the task after a possible loss of overview. In total, 160 stimuli are presented. | Task switching speed, task switching accuracy |
TMT-B – TMT-A [55] | S2, S4 | Touch-screen | This task consists of two parts: A (S2) and B (S4). In part A, numbers from 1 to 25 are randomly displayed on the screen. The task is to connect the numbers in ascending order as quickly as possible. In part B, numbers (1–13) and letters (A – L) are presented. The task is now to alternately link numbers and letters in ascending order (e.g. 1 – A – 2 – B etc.). | Difference score (working time B – A) | |
Updating | DSB [56] | N/A | Verbal | The test leader is reading a series of numbers aloud. The participants must repeat the numbers in reverse order. The task consists of eight items with a constant increase of one number per item. Each item may be attempted twice. If not at least one sequence of numbers of an item can be repeated correctly, the task stops. | Number of correct trials |
NBV [57] | S1, S3 | Response panel | Consonants are displayed one after the other on the screen. If a consonant is identical to the one that has been displayed two places (S1) or three places back (S3), the respondent must react by pressing the green button. S1 contains 100 consonants. In S3, 140 consonants are shown. | Number correct | |
Verbal fluency | WIWO [58] | S2, S4 | Verbal | In these two tasks, the subject must name within two minutes as many words as possible that belong to the category of first names (S2) or begin with the letter K (S4). | Number of correct words |
Attention | WAFA [59] | S1 | Response panel | Twenty-five black circles are presented one by one on the screen. The task requires to react as quickly as possible by pressing the green button when a circle appears. | Logarithmic mean reaction time |
DSF [56] | N/A | Verbal | The procedure is identical to that of the DSB (see above). The task is to repeat the numbers in the same order. | Number of correct trials | |
TMT-A [55] | S2 | Touch-screen | See above. | Working time |