The Trails Making Test. Does a Single Trial Reflect Performance Capability?

Information processing speed (Reaction time, RT) to a single administration of the Trails A and B components Trail Making Test (TMT) is used in assessment brain behavioural functional integrity across lifespan both clinical research contexts. Although utility such trial-related thus rapidly gained results, recognised, it possible that its as trial only, precludes ability provide more in-depth relevant representation per se, does not allow range be examined. Because outcome from can susceptible influence spurious extraneous effects we examined how, within testing session, RT varied with respect four trials TMT, how may associated anxiety self-consciousness. We making test compared performance over each these first trial. Between third fourth trial, questionnaires on self-consciousness were administered. This paradigm was tested fifty five younger adults (age eighteen - thirty years). Our results indicated repeating administering tests trials, revealed significantly disproportionately slowed information (RT) consecutive effect greatest for difficult or resource-demanding test. There no significant correlations between change The represents only typically performed application this finding time complete one slower response additional indicates an individuals’ appear much than their actual ability. Such findings expected particular relevance future use clinically when individual’s measured judged diagnosis, group-level TMT older example.