Factor structure, construct validity, and age- and education-based normative data for the Parametric Go/No-Go Test

Abstract

The Parametric Go/No-Go (PGNG) test assesses cognitive domains including attention and executive functioning with three levels of increasing difficulty. Level 1 measures accuracy and response time to three targets. Level 2 adds a nonrepeating rule, measuring response time to two targets, accuracy for targets, and accuracy for appropriate inhibition. Level 3 has three targets with the same nonrepeating rule. The task shows good construct validity, and factor analyses show adequate ability to distinguish between processing speed, sustained attention, and inhibition. Normative data for the PGNG, stratified by age and education, as well as strategies for identifying atypical responding, are presented.

Keywords:

• Attention
• Executive functioning
• Normative data
• Go/no-go
• Inhibitory control
• Age
• Education

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by K-12 and K-23 Career Development Awards (S.A.L.; National Institutes of Health, NIH RR017607, MH074459), a NARSAD (National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression) Young Investigator Award (S.A.L.), University of Michigan Psychiatry Research Committee (S.A.L.), Rachel Upjohn Clinical Scholars Awards (S.A.L., Sara L. Weisenbach), the Prechter Longitudinal Bipolar Research Project (Melvin G. McInnis), the Department of Psychology, Marquette University (Kristy A. Nielson), and PO1 MH 42251 (Huda Akil, Elizabeth A. Young, Jon-Kar Zubieta). With special thanks to Kristy A. Nielson (Marquette University) for permission in using data collected at Marquette University, and to Sara L. Weisenbach, Ph.D., Melvin McInnis, M.D., and Jon-Kar Zubieta, M.D., Ph.D., for some data collected at the University of Michigan. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Emily M. Briceno, Erich Avery, Michael L. Brinkman, Psy.D., Karla Felske, Lindsay M. Franti, Leslie M. Guidotti, Allison M. Kade, Hadia M. Leon, Benjamin D. Long, Justin B. Miller, Matthew J. Mordhorst, Ph.D., Anne L. Weldon, Kortni K. Meyers, Brennan D. Haase, Michelle T. Kassel, Kathleen E. Hazlett, Rachel E. Kay, E. Michelle McFadden, Nadia M. Huq, Michael T. Ransom, Ph.D., Michael-Paul Schallmo, Maureen Schrock, Clare Tyson, and Virginia Murphy-Weinberg, R.N. for assistance with participant scheduling and data collection. Information from some of these participants (n = 77, Langenecker, Caveney, et al., 2007; n = 30, Langenecker et al., 2005; and n = 63, Langenecker, Zubieta, et al., 2007) has been published in previous papers.