Purpose of the Questionnaire (Scale)

The main purpose of the PPTT is the evaluation of semantic knowledge, the ability of conceptual association, and access to semantic memory. The test is intended for patients with brain damage, such as stroke and brain injuries, as well as individuals with aphasic disorders or neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or semantic dementia. It is widely used in research settings concerning linguistic and cognitive functioning. The test was developed by Howard and Patterson in 1992.

Analysis of the Questionnaire (Scale)

The PPTT consists of two parts: one with pictures and one with words. In the picture part, the examinee is asked to choose between two images the one that is semantically related to a central image, for example, the “Pyramid” is more closely related to “Sand” than to “Palm tree.” In the word part, the process is similar, with the choice being made between words, e.g., “Pyramid” with “Egypt” rather than “Coconut.”
In total, the test includes 52 questions, without subscales, and it measures the ability of semantic access and association.

Scoring of Questions

Scoring is based on correct and incorrect answers. Each correct answer gives one point, while an incorrect one gives zero. The total score is calculated as the percentage of correct answers. A performance above 90% is considered normal, although this is influenced by factors such as age and educational level. Conversely, a score below 75% indicates possible semantic impairments.

Statistical Analysis

The time required to complete the test ranges between 15 and 20 minutes. The test demonstrates high sensitivity in detecting semantic deficits, effectively differentiating individuals with relevant pathology from the healthy population. The reliability of the PPTT is high, with an internal consistency coefficient Cronbach’s α greater than 0.85. The interpretation of the results is based on the overall score, with high percentages indicating good semantic functioning, while low percentages may reflect disorders such as dementia or aphasia.

Validity of the Questionnaire (Scale)

The validity of the test is supported by its correlation with other established semantic assessments, such as the Boston Naming Test. It has also been validated for clinical use in cases of aphasia and dementia.

Reliability of the Questionnaire (Scale)

The reliability of the PPTT remains high, confirmed both by its internal consistency (Cronbach’s α > 0.85) and by the reproducibility of the results in successive applications.

References

In the international literature, the work of Howard and Patterson (1992), titled The Pyramids and Palm Trees Test: A test of semantic access from words and pictures, stands out as the primary source of the test. Additionally, the article by Smith (2020), titled Recent advances in semantic memory assessment, published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, is cited.
In the Greek literature, the work of Papadopoulos (2019), titled Neuropsychological tests in clinical practice, published by Psychology Press, is mentioned.

Keywords

Semantic Memory, Neuropsychological Assessment, Language Disorders, PPTT, Research, Psychometric Tests.