Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Created: January 29, 2019
Last Modified: January 26, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements the Adaptive Composite Complex Span Test (ACCES); an adaptive test of working memory with visuospatial ("symmetry span test"), mathematical ("operation span test") and verbal subtests ("reading span test").
The ACCES was developed by Gonthier et al (2018). According to the authors "the test presents a fixed number of trials to all participants, allows for partial credit scoring, and can be used with children regardless of ability level. The ACCES demonstrated satisfying psychometric properties in a sample of 268 children aged 8–13 years." (p.910)
All materials for the ACCES – including the stimuli, an open source implementation of the task script under PsychoPy (Peirce, 2007), and all validation data – can be accessed via the Open Science Framework platform at https://osf.io/bk7pm/.
Gonthier, C., Thomassin, N., & Roulin, J.-L. (2016). The Composite Complex Span : French validation of a short working memory task. Behavior Research Methods, 48(1), 233-242. doi:10.?3758/?s13428-015-0566-3
Gonthier C, Aubry A, Bourdin B. (2018). Measuring working memory capacity in children using adaptive tasks: Example validation of an adaptive complex span. Behav Res Methods. Jun;50(3):910-921. doi: 10.3758/s13428-017-0916-4. PMID: 28643158.
30 minutes
This script is batch script that calls the following scripts in order:
1. acces_intro.iqjs: this script provides the general intro information for the ACCES test in English and runs a short demographic survey (can be turned off via parameters.runDemographicSurvey) under section Editable Parameters below. This script generates one data files: acces_demographics.iqdat (collects raw data of demographic survey)
2. acces_rspan.iqjs: this script runs the RSPAN (Reading Span) subtest of the ACCES test. This script generates two data files: "acces_rspan_raw.iqdat" : collects the raw data "acces_rspan_summary.iqdat": stores the summary data Detailed Explanations of the data files as well as procedural information can be found in the User Manual of script "acces_rspan.iqjs" script acces_rspan.iqjs can be skipped if parameters.runRSPAN is set to false under section Editable Parameters below.
2. acces_sspan.iqjs: this script runs the SSPAN (Symmetry Span) subtest of the ACCES test. This script generates two data files: "acces_sspan_raw.iqdat" : collects the raw data "acces_sspan_summary.iqdat": stores the summary data Detailed Explanations of the data files as well as procedural information can be found in the User Manual of script "acces_sspan.iqjs" script acces_sspan.iqjs can be skipped if parameters.runSSPAN is set to false under section Editable Parameters below.
3. acces_ospan.iqjs: this script runs the OSPAN (Operation Span) subtest of the ACCES test. This script generates two data files: "acces_ospan_raw.iqdat" : collects the raw data "acces_ospan_summary.iqdat": stores the summary data Detailed Explanations of the data files as well as procedural information can be found in the User Manual of script "acces_ospan.iqjs" script acces_rspan.iqjs can be skipped if parameters.runOSPAN is set to false under section Editable Parameters below.
4. acces_finish.iqjs: this script presents the final instruction pages for the ACCES test and stores the main performance data of the three subtests (RSPAN, SSPAN, OSPAN) Detailed Explanations of the data file can be found in the User Manual of script "acces_finish.iqjs".
All procedural information can found in the USER MANUALS of the following scripts:
RSPAN: acces_rspan_inc.iqjs
SSPAN: acces_sspan_inc.iqjs
OSPAN: acces_ospan_inc.iqjs
See USER MANUALS of the following scripts:
RSPAN: acces_rspan_inc.iqjs
SSPAN: acces_sspan_inc.iqjs
OSPAN: acces_ospan_inc.iqjs
Instructions are not original to Gonthier et al, 2018 but borrow heavily from the French instructions
generously provided by Gonthier et al's published material.
The instructions in this script are provided by Millisecond
as htm/html pages and can be edited by changing the provided htm/html files.
To edit htm/html-files: open the respective documents in simple Text Editors such as TextEdit (Mac)
or Notepad (Windows).
See individual scripts for more detail.
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| runDemographicSurvey | True = script acces_demographics.iqjs is run; false = script acces_demographics.iqjs is skipped | true |
| runRSPAN | True = script acces_rspan.iqjs is run; false = script acces_rspan.iqjs is skipped | true |
| runSSPAN | True = script acces_sspan.iqjs is run; false = script acces_sspan.iqjs is skipped | true |
| runOSPAN | True = script acces_ospan.iqjs is run; false = script acces_ospan.iqjs is skipped | true |