Revised Dual Task Screen is a Valid Measure of Dual Task Performance: Developing a Motor and Cognitive Dual Task Measure with Healthy Female Athletes

Abstract

Multitasking measures, such as dual task assessments, are particularly useful in detecting subtle deficits that can influence occupational performance after injuries, like sports-related concussion (SRC). In past work, our research team developed and revised a dual task assessment, the Dual Task Screen (DTS). Here, we evaluated nineteen healthy athletes using the revised DTS to address two specific research objectives. First, to replicate pilot study findings and demonstrate that the revised DTS is sensitive to dual task motor costs (i.e. poorer motor performance under dual task conditions, compared to single task conditions). Second, to evaluate if the revised DTS is sensitive to dual task cognitive costs (i.e. poorer cognitive performance under dual task conditions, compared to single task conditions). We confirmed that the revised DTS was sensitive to both dual task motor and cognitive costs; thus it is a valid measure of dual task performance. These positive findings support its prospective, future use by occupational therapists to evaluate multitasking performance after injuries, like SRC, or other injuries and illnesses that elicit deficits affecting optimal occupational performance.

Keywords:

• Sports-related concussion
• dual task assessment
• measure development
• athletes
• occupational therapy

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Declaration of interest

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

Data for this study can be made available upon request; please contact the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

Support for this work was provided by NIH grant # 5K01HD096047-02 issued to author J.S.

Notes on contributors

Kalena Giessler-Gonzalez

Kalena Giessler-Gonzalez is an occupational therapist at Braintrust Services in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Brian Tracy

Dr. Brian Tracy is an Associate Professor in Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University.

Patricia L. Davies

Dr. Patricia Davies is a Professor in Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University.

Jaclyn A. Stephens

Dr. Jaclyn Stephens is an Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University.