Standard Value and Developmental Changes in the Indices of Interference Effect in the Modified Stroop Test

Abstract

  The Stroop test was originally invented by Stroop to measure selective attention and cognitive flexibility and various versions of this test have been developed by many other researchers. Since the Stroop test requires the examinee's sustained efforts, it is not readily applicable to children with developmental disorders. In order to overcome this weakness, a modified Stroop test by reducing the total number of stimulations from 300 to 72 was proposed for clinical use. This study was performed to obtain the standard value of the modified Stroop test, and also to clarify the developmental changes in indices of interference effect. Two hundred eighty one normal children and adults, ranging from 6 to 20 years of age were examined. A simple regression analysis was performed to examine the relation between age and the score of indices such as Incongruent Color Naming (ICN), ICN － Color Naming (CN), ICN/CN. The results from this analysis showed significant age-related changes. Subjects between sixteen and seventeen showed the best score in each index. These findings suggest that a brain region and/or functional system of late maturation might participate in the execution of the interference task.