Demographically Adjusted Normative Standards for New Indices of Performance on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT)

Abstract

The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) is a complex cognitive test sensitive to neuropsychological disorders. Its traditional Total Correct score seemingly reflects multiple cognitive abilities, including attention, working memory, and processing speed. Snyder, Aniskiewicz, and Snyder (1993) modified scoring guidelines for the PASAT to give credit only for “dyads.” This method emphasizes working memory operations and has been found superior to Total Correct scores at detecting cognitive impairments in several investigations. To date, normative standards are not available for the “dyad” scoring method, thus limiting its utility in clinical and research settings. The current investigation provides demographically adjusted normative data based on a sample of 500 healthy adults of varied age, education, sex, and race (African American and Caucasian) for various indices of performance on the PASAT, including “Total Dyads” obtained across the four PASAT trials. In addition, we describe and present normative data on four other indices designed to quantify various aspects of performance on the PASAT: invalid responding, effects of varied information processing speed demands, and tendency to omit responses and to make arithmetic errors.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This manuscript is based on a series of investigations completed as part of the lead author's doctoral dissertation at the San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, under the supervision of Robert K. Heaton, Ph.D. Gratitude is expressed for the feedback and support given by dissertation committee members Dean Delis, Ph.D., Igor Grant, M.D., Georg E. Matt, Ph.D., and Claire Murphy, Ph.D. Many thanks to the individuals that assisted in scoring participant protocols for dyads, particularly Michelle Brill and Rebecca Fellows at the HNRC. The noteworthy efforts of Emily Conover and Daniel Sacladan for their help in obtaining and re-scoring participant protocols are especially appreciated. This investigation was supported by NIDA Program Project P01 DA012065, NIMH Center Grant MH62512, and a grant from the Medical Research Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Igor Grant, M.D. (SA325). VA merit grant to Igor Grant, M.D.; NIMH grant R01 MH049550 to S. Walden Miller, Ph.D.; and an NIDA minority grant supplement to Raul Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Notes

Note. AANP, African American Norms Project; HNRC, HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center; AP, Alcohol Abuse and Neuropsychological Impairment Project.

Note. APCID, average percent change in dyads; ScIP, score of intermittent performance. Age and education were modeled as continuous variables, whereas dichotomous coding was used for sex (0 = female, 1 = male) and race (0 = Caucasian, 1 = African American).

*Significant main effect (p < .05) in multiple regression model.

Note. APCID, average percent change in dyads; ScIP, score of intermittent performance. Age and Education were modeled as continuous variables; whereas dichotomous coding was used for sex (0 = female, 1 = male). Because African American and Caucasian participants were examined separately, the effects of race are not included in this table (see Table 3a).

*Significant main effect (p < .05) in multiple regression model.

Note. Table based on data from the normative sample (n = 500, see Table 1); APCID, average percent change in dyads; ScIP, score of intermittent performance.

Note. These formulas are based on a sample of 323 African American and 177 Caucasian participants. Tables 1 and 2 present detailed demographic information for these individuals. Caution is warranted when generating T-scores for individuals whose age, education, or race is not represented in the normative sample.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Raul Gonzalez

Raul Gonzalez is currently at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL.

Catherine L. Carey

Catherine L. Carey is currently at the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA.