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STROOP Neuropsychological Screening Test

Author and year

Stroop Neuropsychological Test was developed by Stroop John Ridleystroop in the year
1935.
Introduction
Stroop Neuropsychological Test, is a widely used assessment tool in neuropsychology
That measures various cognitive functions, particularly attention, cognitive flexibility, and
processing speed Developed by John Ridley Stroop in the 1935, it has since become a
fundamental component of neuropsychological evaluations.
The classic Stroop Test involves presenting participants with a list of color words (such as "red,"
"blue," "green," etc.) printed in incongruent ink colors (e.g., the word "red" printed in blue ink).
Participants are instructed to name the ink color of each word as quickly as possible while
ignoring the actual word itself. This task creates interference between the automatic process of
reading the word and the intentional process of naming the ink color, thus assessing cognitive
control mechanisms.
This last task often causes interference, where the word's meaning interferes with naming the ink
color. The test measures the ability to switch between conflicting verbal responses.Stroop
introduced the basic format for the test in 1935. This work was based on the earlier reports
of( Cattell,1886) and (Brown,1915). Cattell had found that reading color names required less
time than naming colors. Brown noted that this difference maintained even with practice and
suggested that the cognitive mechanisms involved in reading color names and naming colors
were completely different.
Stroop's experiments led to more research. The interference effect called the Stroop effect,
became famous. Even after 30 years, Jensen and Rohwer (1966) looked at research on the Stroop
test. They saw it was reliable and that times taken for tasks always got longer. They also saw that
practicing the test didn't make the Stroop effect go away. There were many different ways to do
the Stroop test, but they found that age affected results, not gender, in the tasks.Further studies
over the years confirmed the reliability of the Stroop test and the consistency of the interference
effect. While age effects were clear, gender effects were not consistently found in earlier tasks.
Objectives
The Stroop Neuropsychological Screening Test serves several key objectives in clinical and
research settings:
i. Assessment of Cognitive Functioning:
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The primary objective of the Stroop Test is to assess various cognitive functions, including
attention, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and inhibitory control. By analyzing
participants' performance on the test, clinicians and researchers can gain insights into the
integrity of these cognitive processes.
ii. Detection of Cognitive Impairments
The Stroop Test is sensitive to cognitive impairments associated with various neurological
and psychiatric conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), dementia, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Identifying impairments in specific cognitive domains can aid in diagnosis and treatment
planning.
iii. Monitoring Cognitive Changes Over Time
By administering the Stroop Test longitudinally, clinicians can track changes in cognitive
functioning over time. This longitudinal assessment is particularly valuable in monitoring disease
progression, evaluating treatment efficacy, and identifying early signs of cognitive decline or
improvement.
iv. Research Purposes
The Stroop Test is widely used in research settings to investigate cognitive processes,
elucidate underlying mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders, and explore the
effects of interventions or treatments on cognitive functioning. Researchers can utilize the Stroop
Test to generate empirical data and contribute to scientific knowledge in neuropsychology and
related fields.
Question Structure
It does not have any question. In the Stroop Neuropsychological Test, stimuli are typically
color words printed in incongruent ink colors. Participants are instructed to name the ink color
while ignoring the word itself. The test trials may include several conditions, such as congruent
(e.g., the word "red" printed in red ink), and incongruent (e.g., the word "red" printed in blue
ink), conditions.

 In the Color Task, the individual reads aloud a list of color names in which no name is

printed in its matching color.

 In the Color-Word Task, the individual names the ink color in which the color names

are printed.
Response Recording
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The examiner records participants' responses, including response times and accuracy.
Response times are often measured from the onset of stimulus presentation to the participant's
vocal response or button press.
Administration
Test materials
Form C stimulus sheet, Form C-W stimulus sheet, Stroop Neuropsychological
Screening test Record Form scoring, Pencil, Eraser and Sharpener and stop watch.
Administration
Two tasks are involved in the administration of the SNST. The first task, the color task,
requires the form C stimulus sheet. The second task, the color-word task, requires the Form C-W
stimulus sheet, responses are recorded on the second and third pages of the record form for the
color and color-Word task, respectively. A stop watch is required for administration.
Demographic information of the client
Name R.K
Gender Female
Age 23
Education BS
No of Siblings 3
Behavioral Observations
During the administration of the Stroop neuropsychological screening test, behavioral
observations of the client was done which yielded valuable insights into her cognitive processes
and emotional responses. As the client engaged with the task, her level of focus and
concentration increased. In the beginning she was facing difficulties in cognitive processing
however later on she was doing well. Every error was increasing her frustration. She has taken
almost 120 seconds to complete this task.
Scoring and interpretation
Scoring involves analyzing participants' performance based on response times and
accuracy. Longer response times and higher error rates on incongruent trials compared to
congruent or neutral trials indicate greater interference and may suggest difficulties with
cognitive control. Color and color-word T-test Score of 95 or less are considered "low". Color
and color word T-Score above 95 are considered "normal.
Quantitative Scoring
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Table 1. Color task

Cut-off score Client’s score Interpretation

95 108 No neurological issue

Qualitative Interpretation
As far as the time is concerned she has completed the task within 120 seconds and
attempted 112 responses in color test from those 4 responses were incorrect. Her total score is
108, which is above the normal range of the test. These numeric values suggest that the client
does not have any neurological issues.
Quantitative Scoring
Table 2. Color-Word task

Cut-off score Client’s score Interpretation

95 103 No neurological issue

Qualitative Interpretation
As far as the time is concerned she has completed the task within 120 seconds and
attempted 112 responses in color word test from those 9 responses were incorrect. Her total score
is 103, which is above the normal range of the test. These numeric values suggest that the client
does not have any neurological issues.
Reference
1) MacLeod, C. M. (1991). Half a century of research on the Stroop effect: An integrative
review. Psychological Bulletin, 109(2), 163–203. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-
2909.109.2.16.
2) Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of
Experimental Psychology, 18(6), 643–662. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054651
3) MacLeod, C. M. (1992). The Stroop task: The "gold standard" of attentional measures.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 121(1), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-
3445.121.1.12