Activity ordering task: conceptualization and development of a novel context-based working memory task with a metacognitive facet.
Nidhi Lalu Jacob, Gagan Bajaj, Aysha Rooha and 2 others
PMID 39417434WHAT IT FOUND
A new animated working-memory task for Indian adults was rated relevant by experts and clear by ten adults.
It took 20-30 minutes, performance was related to established ordering tasks, and it asked people to judge their own expected performance.
Key findings
01Content validation of the task themes and contexts produced all item scores above 0.79 and overall scores of 0.9 for lay experts and 0.93 for content experts.
02In the 10-person pilot, young adults had higher performance and postdiction spans, while middle-aged adults had higher prediction spans.
03Pilot participants reported clear instructions, preferred continuous voice-over, had mixed views on a clock, and rated anxiety as 0 or 1 on a scale of 10.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The Evaluation phase, which would test psychometric properties, was planned as a separate study, so this paper does not show that the task is reliable or valid. Only 10 neurotypical adults took part in the pilot, and all had Mini-Mental State Examination scores above 26, middle socioeconomic status, and verified English proficiency, so the results cannot be extended to people with cognitive impairment, other cultural groups, or other educational levels. The age differences in prediction, performance and postdiction are described by the authors as promising indicators, not conclusive findings. The task was not interactive or virtual reality, and the initial idea panel was made up of the study authors.
Declared interests
Funding was received from the Department of Science and Technology under the Cognitive Science Research Initiative, Government of India. The supplied text does not state author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that the Activity Ordering Task diagnoses working memory problems or guides therapy. It was developed and pilot-tested in 10 neurotypical Indian adults, and the psychometric evaluation was planned for a separate study. The relationships with established tasks do not establish clinical accuracy.