Centre for Policy on Ageing
 

 
Differences in conceptual flexibility with age as measured by a modified version of the Visual Verbal Test
Author(s)Barbara Collins, Andree Tellier
Journal titleCanadian Journal on Aging, vol 13, no 3, Fall 1994
Pagespp 368-377
KeywordsCognitive processes ; Mental ageing ; Mental clarity ; Evaluation.
AnnotationAge-related changes in the capacity for cognitive flexibility should be considered in social planning for the expanding older population and in the functional assessment of the individual geriatric patient. Current means for assessing conceptual flexibility are not particularly appropriate for use with older people. In the current study, a briefer and more tolerable measure of conceptual flexibility was derived from the Visual Verbal Test (VVT). This index correlated significantly with number of perseverative errors but not the number of non-perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), attesting to its validity as a specific measure of the ability to shift mental set. A significant relationship between age and both this VVT measure of conceptual shift and the number of perseverative errors on the WCST was observed in a sample of 60 healthy older volunteers aged 55 to 84, suggesting that cognitive flexibility is indeed negatively associated with age. (RH).
Accession NumberCPA-970821237 A
ClassmarkDA: D6: DF: 4C

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