The DOI matches its Crossref record; 18 of the 18 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Trail Making Test, Part B as a Measure of Executive Control: Validation Using a Set-Switching Paradigm
Abstract
Recent controversy surrounds the use of the Trail Making Test as a measure of cognitive flexibility, given that the Trail Making Test, Part B (TMT-B) also differs from Part A (TMT-A) in factors of motor control and perceptual complexity. The present study compared performance in the TMT and a set-switching task in order to test the assumption that cognitive flexibility is captured in TMT-B performance. Set-switching tasks have low motor and perceptual selection demands, and therefore provide a clearer index of executive function. In this study, participants made category judgments for digits, letters, or symbols across a series of trials, and performance for consecutive same-task trials was compared with task-switch trials. Results of the set-switching task indicated significant switch cost, but only for the situation of task alternation (e.g., an ABA series), suggesting that task-set inhibition may play a role in this effect. Alternating-switch cost was significantly correlated with TMT-B performance, especially with the TMT-B to TMT-A ratio (B/A). Cost for alternating switches was especially large for participants with B/A ratio > 3. These results provide direct evidence that the B/A ratio of performance in the TMT provides an index of executive function.
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“Arbuthnott and Frank [30] showed that a ratio score of the first part of the task in relation to the second part that is higher than three is indicative of cognitive flexibility difficulties.”
From The paradox of cognitive flexibility in autism (2009) · cites this paper as [30]
Citations
Cites
Costs of a predictible switch between simple cognitive tasks.
Rogers, R. D., & Monsell, S. (1995) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General · doi:10.1037/0096-3445.124.2.207 · Cited by 3,170
Shifting Intentional Set: Exploring the Dynamic Control of Tasks
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A model of inhibitory mechanisms in selective attention.
Houghton, G., & Tipper, S. P. (1984) · White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) · Cited by 561
Construct validity in the trail making test: What makes part B harder?
Gaudino, E. A., Geisler, M. W., & Squires, N. K. (1995) · Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology · doi:10.1080/01688639508405143 · Cited by 442
Random Generation and the Executive Control of Working Memory
Baddeley, A., Emslie, H. C., Kolodny, J., & Duncan, J. (1998) · The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A · doi:10.1080/713755788 · Cited by 431
Mental Set and Mental Shift Revisited
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Trail Making Test Results for Normal and Brain-Damaged Children
Reitan, R. M. (1971) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.1971.33.2.575 · Cited by 346
Neuropsychological findings in relapsing-remitting and chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis.
Heaton, R. K., & al., E. (1985) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-006x.53.1.103 · Cited by 322
Effect of physical layout in performance of the Trail Making Test.
Arnett, J. A., & Labovitz, S. S. (1995) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/1040-3590.7.2.220 · Cited by 184
Cited by
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Litvan, I., Goldman, J. G., Tröster, A. I., Schmand, B. A., Weintraub, D., Petersen, R. C., Mollenhauer, B., Adler, C. H., Marder, K., Williams‐Gray, C. H., et al. (2012) · Movement Disorders · doi:10.1002/mds.24893 · Cited by 2,609
Snyder, H. R. (2013) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0028727 · Cited by 1,667
Administration and interpretation of the Trail Making Test
Bowie, C. R., & Harvey, P. D. (2006) · Nature Protocols · doi:10.1038/nprot.2006.390 · Cited by 1,418
Cubillo, I. S., Periañez, J. A., Adrover‐Roig, D., Rodríguez-Sánchez, J. M., Lago, M. R., Ustárroz, J. T., & Barceló, F. (2009) · Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society · doi:10.1017/s1355617709090626 · Cited by 1,510
“In accordance to Arbuthnott and Frank ( 2000 ), a relationship between TMT-B and inhibitory abilities has been supported on the basis of signifi cant correlations between TMT and the Stroop Interference condition (Chaytor et al., 2006 ; Spikman et al., 2001 ).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialDimensions of executive functioning: evidence from children
Lehto, J. E., Juujärvi, P., Kooistra, L., & Pulkkinen, L. (2003) · British Journal of Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1348/026151003321164627 · Cited by 1,226
“Baddeley, 1996; Burgess, 1997; Miyake et al., 2000; Robbins, 1998; Shallice & Burgess, 1998) have preferred to take a fragmentary view of executive functioning, as something which includes relatively independent subfunctions. Miyake et al.’s recent study (2000) proposed, based on a review of the literature, that the t…”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Arbuthnott, K., & Frank, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Regina (CA)
- Venue
- Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2000-08
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 518-528
- ISSN
- 0165-0475 (ISSN-L)
- 1380-3395
- 1744-411X
- OpenAlex
- W2023551388
- Cited by
- 1,087
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 52 · 2025: 56 · 2024: 79 · 2023: 65 · 2022: 80 · 2021: 78 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 57 · 2018: 82 · 2017: 60 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 62 · 2014: 46 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 38
- FWCI
- 2.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Historical and Modern Theater Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- Trail Making Test Part B, executive function, cognitive flexibility, set switching, switch costs, B/A ratio, motor control, perceptual complexity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cognition, Cues, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychometrics, Psychomotor Performance, Set, Psychology, Trail Making Test, Reproducibility of Results
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- Arbuthnott, K., & Frank, J. (2000). Trail Making Test, Part B as a Measure of Executive Control: Validation Using a Set-Switching Paradigm. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. https://doi.org/10.1076/1380-3395(200008)22%3A4%3B1-0%3Bft518
