Frankfurt Adaptive Concentration Performance Test

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The Frankfurt Adaptive Concentration Performance Test is a computer-based test procedure to determine the individual's ability to concentrate using discrimination tasks. The first edition of the test (FAKT) was presented in 1997 by Moosbrugger and Heyden, the second edition (FAKT-II) in 2005 by Moosbrugger and Goldhammer. The test consists of distinguishing visually similar symbols as quickly as possible, with as little error as possible.

Test setup

upper line: targets (reaction key 1), lower line: non-targets (reaction key 0)

There are four types of figural items, the so-called "Frankfurt Discrimination Items": circle or square with two or three points in the middle. Each item type consists of two items that differ in the arrangement of the points.

Two are set as target items:

  • 3 point circle
  • 2 point square

The following therefore remain as non-target items:

  • Circle with 2 points
  • 3 point square

The order of the items in the test is random. The discrimination task is that the test participant must continuously differentiate between target and non-target items. This distinction is made according to the complete marking principle, since a certain reaction key must be pressed on the computer keyboard for both target items and non-target items, e.g. B. in the former case the key 1 and in the latter case the key 0. As a result, a directed attention performance is required for all items.

So there are two stimulus dimensions here, namely shape and number of points. The third dimension, point arrangement, does not play a role as a distinguishing criterion and must be hidden as information that is irrelevant for the task.

Test forms

There are three variants of the test:

  • FACT-E: only one item displayed on the screen, immediate assessment, adaptivity of the test pace (high situational stress)
  • FAKT-S: 10 items simultaneously in one row, assessment one after the other, adaptivity of the test pace (mean situational stress)
  • FAKT-SR: 10 items simultaneously in one row, no adaptivity of the test speed, reaction times for item processing are measured (low situational stress)

The adaptivity of the test speed means that the presentation time of the items is varied by an algorithm until it matches the individual ability of the test participant. The presentation of the items occurs faster, the higher the concentration level. The concentration performance value is calculated from the highest attainable test speed, namely to process 50% of the items shown correctly.

Test time

Different execution times can be selected for each test form:

  • Adaptive test time: The test ends as soon as the measurement reaches an accuracy criterion, after a minimum of 2 minutes and a maximum of 6 minutes
  • Selectable test time: 6 minutes (standard test time), 12, 18, 24 or 30 minutes

evaluation

The extent to which the test participant succeeds in directing their attention to certain stimuli or activities over a longer period of time is examined. Concentration is defined as "the interaction of those attentional components that, with the use of willful effort, achieve a continuous selection, coordination and control of patterns of action" [F. Goldhammer, H. Moosbrugger].

The FAKT-II covers the following aspects:

  • Concentration performance (pace of work),
  • Concentration accuracy (relative accuracy) and
  • Concentration homogeneity (uniformity of the pace of work).

The results are calculated for the adaptive test time and for each 6-minute segment. Standard values are available for interpretation .

Alternatives and comparison

Comparable concentration tests that work by means of discrimination tasks are the attention-strain test d2 (test d2) and the Frankfurt attention inventory (FAIR). However, these tests are not adaptive.

In contrast to other concentration tests, the FAKT no longer has any noteworthy exercise effects after two test runs.

literature