Effects of age and IQ on paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) performance

Abstract

The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) is a neuropsychological instrument used by clinicians and researchers to measure attention and information processing, to evaluate impairments, and to quantify changes in performance over time. The PASAT is sensitive to these subtle deficits in neurocognitive functioning. Clinical interpretation of test results requires comparison relative to the normal population. The present data, compiled from 526 normal, healthy US adults, represents the first published comprehensive normative study of the Levin modification of the PASAT. Analyses were conducted to assess the effect of the demographic variables of age, IQ, gender, race, and education on PASAT performance. Education and race had no significant effect. Gender exerted minimal statistical significance that was not considered clinically meaningful. Age and IQ did significantly affect PASAT test results. For both clinical and research purposes, the age and intellectual functioning of subjects must be considered when interpreting PASAT scores.