Examination of upper extremity mental chronometry tests

In the study, the reliability and validity of the Box and Block Test (BBT) and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT), which are used as upper extremity mental chronometry tests, were examined in healthy individuals. In addition, the differences in motor imagery parameters in the young (18-34 years) and middle-aged (35-54 years) groups were examined. The temporal dimension of motor imagery evaluated through the Box and Block Test, the Nine-Hole Peg Test and the Temporal Congurency Test, the vividness component of motor imagery was evaluated with the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire and the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3, the controllability component of motor imagery was evaluated with the Test of Ability in Movement Imagery, the mental rotation component of motor imagery was evaluated with the Recognise Hand mobile application, and the visuospatial memory skills were evaluated with the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test. It was found that the Box and Block Test had a moderate test-retest reliability level (ICC=0.576) and the Nine-Hole Peg Test had a good test-retest reliability level (ICC=0.766). The Nine-Hole Peg Test in convergent validity analysis; Positive weak correlation with the Temporal Congurency Test (rho=0.281, p<0.001), weak negative correlation with the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (rho= -0.189, p=0.018), Kinesthetic component of the Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3 weakly correlated (rho= -0.208, p=0.009), weak correlation was found between the Internal Visual Imagery Perspective of Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3 (rho= -0.220, p=0.006) and the Recognise Hand mobile application had a weak negative correlation in the right hand reaction time (rho= -0.189, p=0.018).. Known-Groups Validity analysis was performed and the ability of the Box and Block Test and the Nine-Hole Peg Tests to distinguish between young and middle age groups was evaluated by ROC analysis. As a result, Box and Block Test were able to discriminate weakly between young and middle-aged groups (Area Under the Curve= 0.612, p=0.016), whereas Nine-Hole Peg Test failed to distinguish between young and middle-aged groups was found (Area Under the Curve=0.539, p=0.397). In the evaluation of motor imagery parameters in young and middle age groups; statistically significant differences were found in the Box and Block Test mental chronometry ratio (p=0.016), Box and Block Test imagery time (p=0.026), Temporal Congurency Test mental chronometry ratio (p=0.004), Temporal Congurency Test imagery time (p=0.013), Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire total score (p=0.003), Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire visual subcomponent score (p=0.001), Movement Imagination Questionnaire-3 External Visual Perspective score (p=0.049), Recognise Hand mobile application left hand correct answer percentage (p=0.004), Test of Ability in Movement Imagery (p<0.001), Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test Early Recall Component (p<0.001), Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test Delayed Recall Component (p<0.001), the duration of the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test Delayed Recall Component (p<0.001). With these results, it indicates poor construct validity of the Nine-Hole Peg Test. No significant correlation were found between the Box and Block Test and none of the motor imagery assessment methods. In this case, it was proposed that the construct validity of the Box and Block Test could not be mentioned. Since the Nine-Hole Peg Test is a simple motor task, it was thought that its use as a mental chronometry test might be more appropriate.These results showed that the use of the Nine-Hole Peg Test as a mental chronometry test in the healthy individuals may give more consistent results, and the Box and Block Test may be more successful in separating young and middle age groups. It was determined that there may be age-related changes in motor imagery parameters and these changes can be observed more clearly as the degree of complexity of the motor task increases. Future studies should support these findings in young and middle-aged individuals with simple study designs that evaluate motor imagery in a broad perspective and with the necessary assessment tools.