title: Spatial sequence memory and spatial error monitoring in the Groton Maze Learning Task (GMLT): A validation study of GMLT sub-measures in healthy children.
abstract: The stepping-stone variant of the hidden pathway maze learning (HPML) task paradigm has been extensively used to investigate cognitive functions in neuropsychology and neuropharmacology. Previous studies have used total error across trials, as well as rule-break errors and learning errors, to define spatial memory and/or executive function in healthy and impaired adults and children. However, the construct validity of performance measures on HPML tasks has not been established in healthy children. To assess the construct validity of measures of exploratory and rule-break errors on the Groton Maze Learning Task (GMLT) measures of spatial sequence memory (Corsi Blocks Task) and spatial error monitoring (Continuous Paired Associate Learning; CPAL) were used. The results indicate that Corsi span predicted GMLT spatial sequence memory and CPAL accuracy predicted GMLT spatial error monitoring. The construct validity of the GMLT as a measure of spatial memory and executive function are discussed with regard to prior research using HPML tasks in neuropsychological contexts.
authors.affiliation: a Psychological Sciences , University of Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: b Centre for Neurosciences , University of Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.|c Cogstate Ltd , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maruff
authors.affiliation: a Psychological Sciences , University of Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: a Psychological Sciences , University of Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reeve
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Error monitoring; Hidden pathway maze learning; Rule use; Spatial memory; Validation