An heuristic for the construction of alternative test forms for the Zahlen-Verbindungs-Test

Abstract

Trail-making tests such as Oswald and Roth's 1987 Zahlen-Verbindungs-Test offer sensitive and reliable indicators of cognitive efficiency that are also simple, inexpensive, and quick to administer. A disadvantage is that there exist only a limited number of test forms so the scope for repeated administration and systematic investigation is restricted. The basic reason is that the principled generation of such pathways remains an unsolved analytical problem. In this note we propose an heuristic stratagem for the generation of alternative test forms for the Zahlen-Verbindungs-Test.