Methodological Criteria for Scoring Clustering and Switching in Verbal Fluency Tasks

Becker, Natália; Salles, Jerusa Fumagalli de

doi:10.1590/1413-82712016210301

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Papers • Psico-USF 21 (3) • Sep-Dec 2016 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-82712016210301 copy

Methodological Criteria for Scoring Clustering and Switching in Verbal Fluency Tasks

Critérios Metodológicos para Análises de Clustering e Switching em tarefas de Fluência Verbal

Criterios Metodológicos para Análisis de Estrategias de Agrupación en Tareas de Fluidez Verbal

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe an adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese of the methodological criteria for analysis of clustering and switching in semantic verbal fluency (SVF) and phonemic verbal fluency (PVF) tasks. The adaptation process consisted of six steps, including the selection of the clustering and switching variables based on data from a sample of 419 children and the analysis of inter-rater reliability (six raters). The following variables were scored: the total number of words generated the raw number of clusters, the mean cluster size, and the raw number of switches. There was a significant association between raters (intra-class correlation coefficients between 0.95 and 0.99), showing that the analytical method was reliable. Our study provides an evaluation of SVF and PVF tasks that goes beyond the overall score, making it possible to investigate the cognitive processes underlying this neuropsychological function.

Keywords:
semantic verbal fluency; phonemic verbal fluency; clustering; switching

Phonemic Criteria	Description	Example
Same two letters	Words starting with the same two letters	mail, maple, mango melon, mentor, memory
Rhymes	Words that rhyme	mansion, melon smaller, bigger
Starting and ending with the same sounds	Words that differ only in vowel sounds, keeping the first and last letters	meal, mail mesh, mash

Semantic Criteria	Description	Examples
Wild animals	Animals that live preferably in free environments and can be land or water animals.	Elk, tapir, baboon, sloth, buffalo, camel, chameleon, kangaroo, beaver, cheetah, chimpanzee, snake, rabbit, coyote, crocodile, dinosaur, elephant, emu, squirrel, seal, ferret, skunk, giraffe, gorilla, hippo, hyena, alligator, ocelot, python, leopard, lion, lemur, lynx, wolf, monkey, platypus, porcupine, manatee, penguin, puma, panther, fox, rhino, snake, anteater, tiger, bear, polar bear, deer, zebra.
Aquatic animals	Animals that live in aquatic environments and can be sea animals or not.	Whale, shrimp, crab, seal, dolphin, lobster, sea lion, wolf-fish, otter, calamari, oyster, hedgehog, fish, manatee, swordfish, penguin, octopus, salamander, salmon, toad, turtle, trout, shark.
Breeding animals	Animals that assist people to make their living. They are usually found in rural environments, such as farms.	Ox, goat, donkey, buffalo, goat, camel, sheep, horse, rabbit, chicken, rooster, boar, donkey, llama, mule, sheep, duck, turkey, pig, bull, cow.
Domestic environment animals	Found in the domestic environment (pets or those living in the home garden).	Spider, dog, turtle, cockatiel, canary, snail, rabbit, ant, cat, hamster, tortoise, lizard, snail, worm, fly, parrot, frog, parakeet, guinea pig, flea, rat, mouse, turtle, three-banded armadillo.
Winged animals	Animals that belong to the zoological class of birds.	Eagle, parrot, bird, ostrich, great kiskadee, canary, condor, hawk, goose, heron, mallard, parrot, bird, duck, peacock, pelican, parakeet, turkey, woodpecker, penguin, chick, southern lapwing, finch, toucan, vulture.
Insects	Animals that belong to the zoological class of insects.	Bee, cockroach, beetle, butterfly, ladybug, praying mantis, hornet, fly, mosquito.

Task	Variables	Intraclass correlation coefficient	95% CI	p
PVF	Total no. of words generated	0.99	0.990-0.997	< 0.001
	No. of clusters	0.98	0.97-0.99	< 0.001
	Mean cluster size	0.99	0.997-0.999	< 0.001
	No. of switches	0.99	0.996-0.999	< 0.001
SVF	Total no. of words generated	0.99	0.98-0.99	< 0.001
	No. of clusters	0.97	0.95-0.99	< 0.001
	Mean cluster size	0.95	0.90-0.97	< 0.001
	No. of switches	0.98	0.97-0.99	< 0.001

Universidade de São Francisco, Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Psicologia R. Waldemar César da Silveira, 105, Vl. Cura D'Ars (SWIFT), Campinas - São Paulo, CEP 13045-510, Telefone: (19)3779-3771 - Campinas - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revistapsico@usf.edu.br

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[1] Contato com as autoras: Natália Becker Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, sala 114 - Instituto de Psicologia CEP: 90035-003 Bairro Santa Cecília Porto Alegre-RS, Brasil Telefones: (51) 3308-5341 (comercial)/(51) 30236184 (residencial)/(51) 92070041 (celular)