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The trail-making test assesses task-switching and visual attention skills in neurological patients. It consists of two parts, connecting numbers and connecting patterns, and is scored based on completion time. It originated in the 1930s and is now administered via paper or computer.
A trail-making test is a neuropsychological test administered to determine an individual’s task-switching and visual attention skills. A tracing test requires an individual to connect the dots of a series of goals. In its earliest incarnations, trail-making tests were used to determine levels of intelligence, but it has since become a go-to testing method for neurological patients; it is a particularly useful diagnostic tool for determining the extent of various types of brain injury.
The standard trail-making test began in the 1930s as the Taylor Number Series, which required examinees to connect a series of numbers between one and 50. The test was later revised and became the Partington Pathways Test, named after the physician who he modified it. In 1944, the test was adopted for use as part of the Army’s Individual Test Battery and its name was changed to the Track Making Test. It then became a standard part of the Halstad-Reitan neuropsychological test battery. While tracing tests have traditionally been done on paper, they are also administered via computer.
A typical trail making test consists of two parts. The test is primarily an assessment of speed, so individuals are encouraged to take the exam as quickly as possible. In the first section of the test, the numbers one through 25 are randomly arranged on a single piece of paper. The tester connects the numbers in order as quickly and efficiently as possible. In the second part of the testing process, sets of letters and numbers, such as ABC and 1-2-3, are presented, and the test subject must connect the patterns in sequential order.
The second part of the trail making test generally takes longer than the first section of the battery. It is common for test takers to get frustrated during the second part of the process if they focus on it for more than a few minutes. The entire trail-making test should only take you 10-10 minutes.
The trail making test score involves the sum of the time it takes to complete each section of the exam. The testing process is meticulously monitored. If the candidate makes a mistake in linking the templates, the Test Administrator will immediately point this out and direct the individual to correct the mistake. The individual will then continue with the test. This is all accomplished while the timer is ticking and helps determine the candidate’s ability to effectively switch tasks and remain visually alert.
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