title: A four-disc version of the Tower of London for clinical use.
abstract: Three studies are reported on the development of a four-disc version of the Tower of London test of planning ability. The first (n = 138) involved the selection of items based on rational and empirical criteria to provide a short test of graded difficulty suitable for use with children and clinical populations. The second study (n = 480) checked the properties of the 10-item test on a new sample and in addition examined the internal consistency and factor structure of the test. The third study (n = 61) examined the test-retest reliability of the test over a period of 1 month. The difficulty level of the test remained relatively stable from sample to sample and was sensitive to linear trend in performance from age 5 years up to 30 years. Total score did not reflect the action of a single underlying construct but rather appeared to index a number of factors. Scores were reasonably stable over the 1-month period studied, at least for the children's sample employed. The four-disc version is a promising method of assessing planning in children and adolescents in clinical situations.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tunstall
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Basis of Health, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: O'Gorman
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Basis of Health, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: David H K
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Shum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Executive Functions; Frontal Lobe; Neuropsychological Assessment; Planning; Tower of London (TOL)