Preliminary psychometric evaluation of the online Wisconsin Card Sorting Inspired Test (WCSIT).

BACKGROUND

This study presents a preliminary psychometric evaluation of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Inspired Test (WCSIT), a culturally adapted, digital version designed to assess cognitive flexibility and executive functioning. The WCSIT was developed to offer a scalable, accessible alternative to traditional neuropsychological tools, particularly in settings where validated Arabic-language assessments are scarce.

METHODS

A total of 462 adult participants from Saudi Arabia, including 81 patients with frontal lobe damage, completed the WCSIT using personal touchscreen devices via the PsyToolkit platform. The task consisted of 60 trials, and five performance indices were computed: accuracy, number of categories, perseverative errors, reaction time, and inverse efficiency score. Psychometric analyses included Cronbach's alpha, exploratory graph analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and criterion-related validity through group comparisons.

RESULTS

The WCSIT demonstrated acceptable to good internal consistency for most indices. CFA supported a two-factor model, distinguishing between categorization by numbers and by shapes and colours, reflecting domain-specific cognitive processes. The test effectively discriminated between healthy participants and patients with frontal lobe damage. Gender differences emerged, while age and education effects were non-significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The WCSIT shows promising psychometric properties and cultural relevance as a digital tool for assessing executive function. While the absence of convergent and discriminant validity measures limits the scope of construct validation, this study offers foundational evidence for its clinical utility in Arabic-speaking populations. Limitations related to sample characteristics, digital literacy, and cultural variability are discussed, along with directions for future validation studies.