A Preliminary Standardisation of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test for Setswana-Speaking University Students

Abstract

Psychological and neuropsychological assessment in South Africa currently faces various challenges; most prominent is the need for appropriately standardised tests. The absence of adequate standardisations and norms currently hampers practitioners' confidence in administering tests in South Africa. We aimed to conduct a preliminary standardisation of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) for Setswana-speaking university students. The testing instructions were translated into Setswana and 93 subjects were assessed using a computerised version of the WCST. Regression analysis indicated that gender, age, and level of education had no influence on subjects' WCST sub-scores, except for Trials to complete first category, which was influenced by age. Therefore, one norm table — including the means and standard deviations for the purposes of calculating standard or Z-scores — was constructed for the entire 18- to 29-year-old age group for Number of categories completed, Total number of correct responses, Total number of errors, Perseverative responses, Perseverative errors, Non-perseverative errors, Failure to maintain set, Learning to learn, and Percent conceptual level responses, while separate norm tables were constructed for the two age groups, 18 to 19 years and 20 to 29 years, for Trials to complete first category. It was also found that the WCST displays adequate internal consistency. This standardisation is, however, subject to limitations and it is recommended that a full standardisation be conducted for Setswana-speaking individuals.