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Cognitive abilities measured in the 1946 National Survey of Health and Development

Explore what cognitive ability domains were measured in the 1946 National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) cohort by age and test used.

For background guidance on the table below, see the main harmonisation feasibility page in this guide.

Test 8 yrs 11 yrs 15 yrs 26 yrs 43 yrs 53 yrs 60-64 yrs 68-70 yrs
Reading Comprehension Gc/Grw
Word Reading Grw Grw
Vocabulary Gc Gc
Picture Intelligence Gf
General Ability Test (verbal and non-verbal) G/Gc/Gf
Arithmetic Test Gq
Alice Heim Group Ability Test G/Gc/Gf
Watts-Vernon Reading Test Gc/Grw Gc/Grw
Mathematics Test Gq
Verbal Learning/Word List Recall Glr Glr Glr Glr
Long Term Recall Glr
Visual Memory Glr/Gv
Timed Letter Search/Letter Cancellation Gv/Gs Gv/Gs Gv/Gs Gv/Gs
Motor Speed and Praxis Gp
National Adult Reading Test (NART) Gc/Grw
Verbal Fluency (animal naming) Glr
Prospective Memory NA
Delayed Verbal Memory Glr
Reaction Time Test Gt
Finger Tapping Test Gp
Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (5 domains) G

Notes.

Gf=Fluid reasoning/fluid intelligence; Glr=Long-term storage & retrieval; Gs=Processing speed; Gc=Acquired knowledge/crystallised intelligence; Grw=Reading and writing; Gq=Quantitative knowledge; Gv=Visual processing; Gp=Psychomotor ability; G=General/multi-domain cognitive ability factor; NA=Not applicable (no Cattell-Horn-Carroll ability type measured).

Explanations of the individual ability domains are provided in the introductory section of this guide.

Find out more about each of the cognitive tests administered to the NSHD cohort in our searchable overview of measures.

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Cognitive abilities measured in the 1946 National Survey of Health and Development