Correlation of Stroop Effect in Medical Students to Their Performance in Pharmacology National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Examination

Abstract

ObjectiveThe Stroop test is used to assess selective attention in cognitive psychology. Interference between word meaning and ink color in Incongruent Stroop test prolongs reaction time, which involves the brain searching for some collection of the stored information for prompt use. This is called the Stroop effect. Previous studies have reported the strong correlations between the Stroop effect and academic performance. Therefore, we aimed to study the correlation of the Stroop effect in medical students to their performance in pharmacology NBME examination.MethodsFor this study, 40 medical students who completed their pharmacology NBME examination were selected. The Stroop, congruent and incongruent, tests were performed using the EncephalApp Stroop Test (Android/iOS). In Congruent test (Stroop Off), the subjects were asked to select ink color of the hashtag (#) symbols printed in different ink colors (red, blue, and green). In Incongruent test (Stroop On), the subjects were asked to select the ink color of the words RED, BLUE, and GREEN printed in different ink colors, e.g., the word “RED” printed in blue ink had to be selected as blue. Each subject practiced each test for two attempts and 5 attempts of each test were then recorded.The EncephalApp Stroop Test automatically recorded the results of the tests as duration in seconds, which include Congruent Stroop (OffTime duration), Incongruent Stroop (OnTime duration), OffTime plus OnTime duration, OnTime minus OffTime duration. The results of OnTime minus OffTime duration of the Stroop test and pharmacology NBME examination scores were tabulated in Microsoft Excel and descriptive analysis was done. The correlation of the “OnTime minus OffTime duration” to pharmacology NBME examination scores was determined by a Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis.ResultsThe correlation coefficient (adjusted r2) of our study was −0.0255 and significance F was 0.862. The “OnTime minus OffTime duration” in medical students was not correlated with the pharmacology NBME examination score (r (38) = 0.0283, p = 0.862). The regression model predicted only 0.08% (R2 = 0.0008) of the pharmacology NBME examination score of medical students.ConclusionThe Stroop effect in medical students is insignificantly correlated with their performance in pharmacology NBME examination. However, correlations of the Stroop effect in medical students with their performance in other subjects and examinations need to be assessed in further studies.Support or Funding InformationThe study was supported by the Trinity Medical Sciences University School of Medicine, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.