Abbreviating the Finger Tapping Test.

The Finger Tapping Test (FTT) has a strong empirical base but its procedures are inconsistent and the test can be time-consuming. To simplify and abbreviate administration procedures, several potential abbreviated procedures were evaluated using a sample of 71 individuals presenting to a VA Hospital for neuropsychological evaluation. A short version using the mean score of Trials 3-5 for each hand was found to be a strong predictor of full-test performance. The abbreviated version also had stronger reliability than the full version, and it accurately predicts impairment and performance validity classification based on the full version. This abbreviated version appears to be more efficient and sufficiently accurate to be considered for use in lieu of the traditional and potentially longer version of the FTT.