VI. NIH toolbox cognition battery (CB): measuring processing speed
Open accessAbstract
This chapter focuses on the Toolbox Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test, which was developed to assess processing speed within the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (CB). We describe the development of the test, highlighting its utility in children. In addition, we examine descriptive data, test–retest reliability, validity, and preliminary work creating a composite index of processing speed. Results indicated that most children were able to understand the basic concepts of the Toolbox Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test. Further, test–retest reliability was excellent. Analyses examining convergent and discriminant validity provided support for the utility of the test as a measure of processing speed. Finally, analyses comparing and combining scores on the Toolbox Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test with other measures of simple reaction time from the NIH Toolbox CB indicated that a Processing Speed Composite score performed better than any test examined in isolation. Taken together, the Toolbox Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test appears to exhibit a number of strengths: it is child-friendly and engaging, short and easy to administer, and has good construct validity, especially when used as part of a composite score.
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The degree of cognitive change and level of impairment after TBI vary as a function of the severity of injury.
“The degree of cognitive change and level of impairment after TBI vary as a function of the severity of injury (Carlozzi, Tulsky, Kail, & Beaumont, 2013; Rohling, Meyers, & Millis, 2003).”
From Using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) in individuals with traumatic brain injury. (2017) · cites this paper as Carlozzi, Tulsky, Kail, & Beaumont, 2013
The “Cognitive Processing, and Biological Substrates” section says children with closed head injury have slower processing speed than typically developing peers. It does not say that cognitive change or impairment varies with injury severity, and its finding concerns processing speed in children rather than cognitive impairment after TBI generally. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe NIHTB-CB has demonstrated test-retest reliability (ICC 0.76 to 0.97) and convergent and discriminant validity.
“The developers evaluated and described the psychometric soundness of each test, including test–retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients ranging from 0.76 to 0.97) as well as convergent and discriminant validity (Bauer et al., 2013; Carlozzi et al., 2013; Gershon et al., 2013; Tulsky et al., 2013; Zelazo et al., 2013).”
From Cognitive weaknesses or impairments on the NIH toolbox cognition battery in children and adolescents: base rates in a normative sample and proposed methods for classification (2025) · cites this paper as Carlozzi et al., 2013
The Results (Test–Retest Reliability) report an ICC of .84 for the Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test in children aged 3–15, within the cited range, but this paper does not report the range’s endpoints. The Results (Convergent and Discriminant Validity) find adequate convergent validity, while noting that discriminant correlations did not differ significantly from convergent correlations. Thus, this source does not fully establish the stated discriminant validity. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIHTB-CB): The NIHTB Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test
Carlozzi, N. E., Tulsky, D. S., Chiaravalloti, N. D., Beaumont, J. L., Weintraub, S., Conway, K., & Gershon, R. C. (2014) · Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society · doi:10.1017/s1355617714000319 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Self-citationUsing the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
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Cook, N. E., Iverson, G. L., & Karr, J. E. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1473095
- Authors
- Carlozzi, N. E., Tulsky, D. S., Kail, R. V., & Beaumont, J. L.
- Corresponding author
- Carlozzi, Noelle E
- Venue
- Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2013-08
- Volume
- 78
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 88-102
- ISSN
- 0037-976X (ISSN-L)
- 1540-5834
- PMC
- PMC4425122
- OpenAlex
- W1896450477
- Cited by
- 76
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4
- FWCI
- 3.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- Locations
- Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (n01ag60007-17-0-2)
- National Institute on Aging (N01 AG060007)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
- Keywords
- NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery, processing speed, children, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, composite score, reaction time, cognitive assessment
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Humans, Judgment, National Institutes of Health (U.S.), Neuropsychological Tests, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Reaction Time, Time Factors, United States, Reproducibility of Results
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