18 Dimensional Card Change Sort

Attachment 18
Dimensional Change Card Sort

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Name of test: Dimensional Change Card Sort
Estimated time burden: 6 minutes
Estimated number of items: up to 56 items
Materials:
Laptop
Monitor
Response device1
Description:
The Dimensional Change Card Sort was based on work by Zelazo and
colleagues (2003) and is a measure of cognitive flexibility. Two target pictures
are presented that vary along two dimensions (e.g., shape and color).
Participants are asked to match a series of bivalent test pictures (e.g., yellow
balls and blue trucks) to the target pictures, first according to one dimension
(e.g., color) and then, after a number of trials, according to the other dimension
(e.g., shape). The relevant dimension for sorting is indicated by a cue word (e.g.,
“shape” or “color”) that appears on the screen and, for younger children, is
spoken by a prerecorded voice. Practice items use white and brown colors and
a Rabbit and a Sailboat as shapes. Test items used blue and yellow colors and
a Ball and a Truck as shapes.
All the instructions are on the screen. The examiner reads them to
and/or with the participant and points out the relevant aspects of the
stimuli on the screen. The next screen appears when either the
examiner or participant makes a choice on the screen.
Practice Trials:
The participant is given four practice trials with each dimension. If the
participant responds incorrectly, prompt him/her to choose the correct image.
If the participant does not respond after 5 seconds, the examiner should prompt
him/her to do so by saying, “Choose one of the pictures.”

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 1/2 hours per response, including
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions
for reducing this burden to: NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD
20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-xxxx*) EXP: (xx/xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.

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The participant must get at least 3 out of 4 practice trials correct in order to
advance to the test trials.
If the participant gets fewer than 3 out of 4 practice trials correct, he/she will
complete a second set of 4 practice trials, with the same cutoff in order to
advance to the test trials. If the participant does not meet the cutoff, the task
will automatically terminate (i.e., will advance to final screen).
Test Trials:
The examiner should not prompt the participant to respond during the test trials.
If the participant does not respond after 10 seconds, the program will
automatically advance to the next test trial.
During the test trials, 3-7 year olds first complete a set of 5 trials sorting according
to color. If these participants succeed in 4 of the 5 test trials, the program
advances to a set of 5 trials sorting according to shape. If these participants do
not get 4 out of 5 test trials correct, the program will automatically terminate. If
these participants meet criterion on the second set, they will then complete the
mixed block, consisting of 30 shape/color trials.
Participants 8 - 85 years of age complete a mixed block of items consisting of 30
shape/color trials.
This table outlines the item content of the practice and test items as well as the
actions for the examiner:

All Ages
Practice
PracticeIntro
all ages
SHAPE intro

Participant’s screen written content
We’re going to play a matching game with colors
and shapes.
We’ll play the SHAPE game first. In the SHAPE
game, choose the picture that’s the same SHAPE
as the picture in the middle of the screen. If it’s a
BOAT, choose this picture.

If it is a RABBIT, choose that picture.

Transition

Now you try.

Examiner Actions
Clicks CONTINUE
on examiner
screen.
Examiner points
to BOAT and then
demonstrates the
use of the index
finger on the
arrow.
Examiner points
to RABBIT and
then
demonstrates
response device.
Clicks CONTINUE

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All Ages
Practice

Shape
Practice
More
practice, if
needed- all
ages
Transition

Shape
Practice
again- all
ages
COLOR
intro

Transition

Color
Practice
all ages
More
practice, if
neededall ages

Transition

Color
Practice

Participant’s screen written content

Examiner Actions

Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
4 items sorted by shape

on examiner
screen.

Let’s practice that some more. In the SHAPE game,
choose the picture that’s the same SHAPE as the
picture in the middle of the screen. If it’s a BOAT,
choose this picture.
If it’s a RABBIT, choose that picture.
Now you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
4 items sorted by shape

Chooses BOAT.

We can also match by COLOR. In the COLOR
game, choose the picture that’s the same COLOR
as the picture in the middle of the screen. If it’s
BROWN, choose this picture.
If it’s WHITE, choose that picture.

Examiner points
to and then
chooses BROWN
picture.
Examiner points
to and then
chooses WHITE
picture.
Clicks CONTINUE
on examiner
screen

Now you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
4 items sorted by color

Let’s practice some more. In the COLOR game,
choose the picture that is the same COLOR as the
picture in the middle of the screen. If it’s WHITE,
choose this picture.
If it’s BROWN, choose that picture.
Now you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
4 items sorted by color

Chooses RABBIT.
Clicks CONTINUE.

Chooses WHITE
picture.

Chooses BROWN
picture.
Clicks CONTINUE
on examiner
screen.

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All Ages
Practice
again- all
ages
Ages 3-7
Test
Pre-switch
intro
ages 3-7

Transition

Participant’s screen written content

Participant’s screen written content
Let’s start with the COLOR game. Remember the
COLOR game? In the COLOR game, choose the
picture that’s the same COLOR as the picture in the
middle of the screen. If it’s a BLUE one, choose this
picture.
And if it’s a YELLOW one, choose that picture.
Now, you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
5 items sorted by color (repeated with pre-switch
intro if child does not get 4 of 5 correct)

Color
items—
ages 3-7
Post-switch
Now we’re going to play the SHAPE game.
intro ages 3- Remember the SHAPE game? In the SHAPE game,
7
choose the picture that’s the same SHAPE as the
picture in the middle of the screen. If it’s a TRUCK,
choose this picture.
And if it’s a BALL, choose that picture.
Transition
Now, you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
Shape
5 items sorted by shape (repeated with pre-switch
itemsintro if child does not get 4 of 5 correct)
ages 3-7
Intro Mixed
We can also play both games together. Remember,
Items Ages
when you see or hear the word SHAPE, choose the
3-7
picture that’s the same SHAPE as the picture in the
middle of the screen. If it’s a TRUCK, choose this
picture.
And if it’s a BALL, choose that picture.
When you see or hear the word COLOR, choose the
picture that’s the same COLOR as the picture in the
middle of the screen. If it’s a BLUE one, choose this
picture.
And if it’s a YELLOW one, choose that picture.

Examiner Actions

Examiner
Chooses BLUE
picture.

Chooses
YELLOW picture.
Clicks NEXT on
examiner
screen.

Chooses TRUCK.

Chooses BALL.
Clicks
CONTINUE on
examiner
screen.

Chooses TRUCK.

Chooses BALL.
Chooses BLUE
picture.

Chooses
YELLOW picture.

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Ages 3-7
Test

Test items

Participant’s screen written content
Now, you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
30 mixed items

8-85 Test
Test item
introages 8-85

Transition

Test items
ages 8-85

Participant’s screen written content
Now, we’re going to play both games together.
Remember, when you see the word SHAPE, choose
the picture that’s the same SHAPE as the picture in
the middle of the screen. When you see the word
COLOR, choose the picture that’s the same COLOR
as the picture in the middle of the screen.
Now you try.
Keep your eyes on the star.
Answer as fast as you can without making mistakes.
If you make a mistake, just keep going.
30 mixed items

Sample screenshot:

Examiner
Clicks
CONTINUE on
examiner
screen.

Examiner
Actions
Clicks
CONTINUE on
examiner
screen.

Clicks
CONTINUE on
examiner
screen.