Self-Report Methods for Cambridge Neurological Test Battery (CANTAB) strategies

Abstract

Self-report measures represent an important means to augment brain activation studies by providing important insight into participant strategies for completing cognitive tasks. Triangulating self-report data with brain scans and performance data promises to yield a more complete picture of brain activity (Jack & Roepstorff, 2002). The current exploratory study investigated the feasibility of using self-report measures following performance on two Cambridge Neurological Test Battery (CANTAB) inventories: The Delayed Match to Sample and the Cambridge Gambling Task. In this study, we obtained written and spoken descriptions of strategies used to complete the CANTAB tasks. We found that participants were comfortable reporting strategies. There were commonalities, as well as idiosyncratic strategies for completing the two inventories across eight participants. Next steps include linking reported strategies with performance to determine how descriptive self-reports correlate with actual behavior. In addition, approaches to developing alternative means of self-report for studies of brain function under stress are discussed.

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