Repeated administration of the adapted stroop test: Feasibility for longitudinal study of psychopathology in eating disorders

Abstract

This Study investigated the feasibility of using Adapted Stroop Tests repeatedly in the investigation of psychopatholo gy in eating disorders. Alternate, parallel versions of the Food Stroop and Shape Stroop were presented to female volunteers without prior history of eating disorder, with a 2-week interval before repetition. Subjects were randomly allocated to same or different versions of the respective Stroop Tests on the two occasions. No differences were found in performance on either versions of the Stroop Tests, whether the same was repeated or if different versions were used. Therefore Adapted Stroop Tests can safely be repeated with eating disorder patients without fear of a learning effect, and different versions of both Food and Shape Stroops can be regarded as equivalent, when developed together. Researchers using different words chosen in different populations are not guaranteed of obtaining the same results.