CALCAP® Standard
Test Battery (Test
Duration: 20-25 minutes)
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The Standard test battery for the CALCAP
program was developed by Eric N. Miller, Ph.D. and Paul Satz, Ph.D. for the
purpose of detecting early signs of cognitive decline. The stimulus materials
assess a broad range of cognitive functions, including brief, sustained and
divided attention, rapid visual scanning, form discrimination and language
skills:
- Simple Reaction Time. Subjects are asked to press a key as soon as they see
anything at all on the screen. This procedure provides a basal measure of
reaction time. This task is given at the beginning, middle and end of the
computerized procedures to allow the examiner to assess fatigue effects.
- Choice Reaction Time for Single Digits. Subjects are asked to
press a key as soon as they see a specific number such as '7', otherwise
they are to do nothing. This procedure adds a simple element of memory to
the task.
- Serial Pattern Matching (Sequential Reaction Time). Subjects are asked to
press a key only when they see two of the same number in sequence, for
example, if they see the number '3' followed by a second occurrence of the
number '3'. This procedure adds a more complex element of memory since the
subject must keep in mind the last number that was seen.
- Lexical Discrimination. Subjects are asked to
press a key when they see a word which fits into a specific category such
as animal names (such as, 'COW' or 'HORSE'), but not when they see a word
which fits into a category of non-animals (such as 'DESK' or 'FOOD'). This
procedure introduces an additional level of language skills by requiring
meaningful differentiation between semantic categories. The task requires
rapid language processing and should be sensitive to any disruption in
language skills.
- Visual Selective Attention. Subjects are asked to
press a key as soon as they see a specific word such as 'SEVEN' in the center
of the screen. An additional set of the words are displayed around the
periphery of the target stimulus located in the center of the screen.
These distractors require that the subject focus his or her attention much
more narrowly.
- Response Reversal and Rapid Visual Scanning. This task is identical
to task 5 described above, but the subject must ignore the stimuli
presented in the middle of the screen while responding to target stimuli
displayed around the periphery of the computer screen. This task taps into
the subject's ability to change cognitive set from the previous task, and
requires more rapid visual scanning across the entire display screen.
- Form Discrimination. Subjects are shown three geometric figures
simultaneously and asked to press a key only when two of the figures are
identical. This task requires rapid comparison of non-nameable forms, and,
because of the brief exposure time, may measure the subject's ability to
retain an iconic memory of the figures.
Normative data are available for over 1000 subjects
ranging in age from 17 to 90. A shorter, Abbreviated Test
Battery also is available. A variety of psychometric
properties have been established, including internal consistency
reliability, test-retest reliability, and indices of validity.
For more information, contact Eric Miller at emiller@calcaprt.com
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