Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test
ObjectiveThe ability to assess cognitive skills remotely is increasing with the widespread use and availability of smartphones. The Mobile Toolbox (MTB) is a measurement system that includes Sequences, a new measure of working memory designed specifically for smartphones. This study describes the de...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| author | Jerry Slotkin Aaron J. Kaat Stephanie Ruth Young Elizabeth M. Dworak Miriam A. Novack Yusuke Shono Hubert Adam Cindy J. Nowinski Sarah Pila Zahra Hosseinian Maria Varela Diaz Anyelo Almonte-Correa Keith Alperin Monica R. Camacho Monica R. Camacho Bernard Landavazo Bernard Landavazo Rachel L. Nosheny Rachel L. Nosheny Michael W. Weiner Michael W. Weiner Richard C. Gershon |
| author_facet | Jerry Slotkin Aaron J. Kaat Stephanie Ruth Young Elizabeth M. Dworak Miriam A. Novack Yusuke Shono Hubert Adam Cindy J. Nowinski Sarah Pila Zahra Hosseinian Maria Varela Diaz Anyelo Almonte-Correa Keith Alperin Monica R. Camacho Monica R. Camacho Bernard Landavazo Bernard Landavazo Rachel L. Nosheny Rachel L. Nosheny Michael W. Weiner Michael W. Weiner Richard C. Gershon |
| author_sort | Jerry Slotkin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveThe ability to assess cognitive skills remotely is increasing with the widespread use and availability of smartphones. The Mobile Toolbox (MTB) is a measurement system that includes Sequences, a new measure of working memory designed specifically for smartphones. This study describes the development of Sequences and presents the studies conducted to evaluate its psychometric properties.MethodsWe developed a new measure of working memory that can be self-administered remotely using an iOS or Android smartphone. In Sequences, a series of numbers and letters are shown on the screen one at a time, and the participant must first tap the letters they see in alphabetical order, followed by tapping the numbers in ascending numerical order. The Sequences measure was evaluated for usability and feasibility across two pilot studies and then assessed in this validation study (which included a total sample size of N = 1,246). Psychometric properties of the new measure were evaluated in three studies involving participants aged 18–90 years. In Study 1 (N = 92), participants completed MTB measures in a laboratory setting. They were also administered both an equivalent NIH Toolbox (NIHTB) measure along with external measures of similar constructs. In Study 2 (N = 1,007), participants were administered NIHTB measures in the laboratory and then completed MTB measures remotely on their own devices. In Study 3 (N = 147), participants completed MTB measures twice, remotely on their own devices, with a 2–week interval between sessions.ResultsSequences exhibited moderately high correlations with a comparable NIHTB test and external measures of a similar construct, while exhibiting a lower correlation with an unrelated test, as hypothesized. Internal consistency was high, but test-retest reliability was moderate. When controlling for age, phone operating system (iOS vs. Android) and sex assigned at birth did not significantly impact performance; however, there was a significant difference between individuals who completed college and those with a high school education or lower.ConclusionThe results support the validity of Sequences as a measure of working memory for remote self-administered use. The internal consistency was strong, with moderate test-retest reliability that is likely a function of the test's unproctored self-administration method. The findings suggest that Sequences is appropriate for use with adults aged 18–90 years in remote self-administered designs that focus on group results. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-315a8549250e44b2a8264b13fed14335 |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-315a8549250e44b2a8264b13fed143352025-01-22T07:11:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-01-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.14978161497816Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory testJerry Slotkin0Aaron J. Kaat1Stephanie Ruth Young2Elizabeth M. Dworak3Miriam A. Novack4Yusuke Shono5Hubert Adam6Cindy J. Nowinski7Sarah Pila8Zahra Hosseinian9Maria Varela Diaz10Anyelo Almonte-Correa11Keith Alperin12Monica R. Camacho13Monica R. Camacho14Bernard Landavazo15Bernard Landavazo16Rachel L. Nosheny17Rachel L. Nosheny18Michael W. Weiner19Michael W. Weiner20Richard C. Gershon21Center for Health Assessment Research and Translation, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesSchool of Community and Global Health, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesHelium Foot Software, Inc, Chicago, IL, United StatesUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United StatesNorthern California Institute for Research and Education, San Francisco Veteran's Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United StatesUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United StatesNorthern California Institute for Research and Education, San Francisco Veteran's Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United StatesUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United StatesNorthern California Institute for Research and Education, San Francisco Veteran's Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United StatesUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United StatesNorthern California Institute for Research and Education, San Francisco Veteran's Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, United StatesDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United StatesObjectiveThe ability to assess cognitive skills remotely is increasing with the widespread use and availability of smartphones. The Mobile Toolbox (MTB) is a measurement system that includes Sequences, a new measure of working memory designed specifically for smartphones. This study describes the development of Sequences and presents the studies conducted to evaluate its psychometric properties.MethodsWe developed a new measure of working memory that can be self-administered remotely using an iOS or Android smartphone. In Sequences, a series of numbers and letters are shown on the screen one at a time, and the participant must first tap the letters they see in alphabetical order, followed by tapping the numbers in ascending numerical order. The Sequences measure was evaluated for usability and feasibility across two pilot studies and then assessed in this validation study (which included a total sample size of N = 1,246). Psychometric properties of the new measure were evaluated in three studies involving participants aged 18–90 years. In Study 1 (N = 92), participants completed MTB measures in a laboratory setting. They were also administered both an equivalent NIH Toolbox (NIHTB) measure along with external measures of similar constructs. In Study 2 (N = 1,007), participants were administered NIHTB measures in the laboratory and then completed MTB measures remotely on their own devices. In Study 3 (N = 147), participants completed MTB measures twice, remotely on their own devices, with a 2–week interval between sessions.ResultsSequences exhibited moderately high correlations with a comparable NIHTB test and external measures of a similar construct, while exhibiting a lower correlation with an unrelated test, as hypothesized. Internal consistency was high, but test-retest reliability was moderate. When controlling for age, phone operating system (iOS vs. Android) and sex assigned at birth did not significantly impact performance; however, there was a significant difference between individuals who completed college and those with a high school education or lower.ConclusionThe results support the validity of Sequences as a measure of working memory for remote self-administered use. The internal consistency was strong, with moderate test-retest reliability that is likely a function of the test's unproctored self-administration method. The findings suggest that Sequences is appropriate for use with adults aged 18–90 years in remote self-administered designs that focus on group results.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1497816/fullcognitionworking memorymobile assessmentNIH Toolboxvalidation |
| spellingShingle | Jerry Slotkin Aaron J. Kaat Stephanie Ruth Young Elizabeth M. Dworak Miriam A. Novack Yusuke Shono Hubert Adam Cindy J. Nowinski Sarah Pila Zahra Hosseinian Maria Varela Diaz Anyelo Almonte-Correa Keith Alperin Monica R. Camacho Monica R. Camacho Bernard Landavazo Bernard Landavazo Rachel L. Nosheny Rachel L. Nosheny Michael W. Weiner Michael W. Weiner Richard C. Gershon Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test Frontiers in Psychology cognition working memory mobile assessment NIH Toolbox validation |
| title | Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test |
| title_full | Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test |
| title_fullStr | Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test |
| title_short | Mobile Toolbox sequences task: development and validation of a remote, smartphone-based working memory test |
| title_sort | mobile toolbox sequences task development and validation of a remote smartphone based working memory test |
| topic | cognition working memory mobile assessment NIH Toolbox validation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1497816/full |
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