DO THEY MEASURE THE SAME CONSTRUCT? AN ANALYSIS OF SHARED COGNITIVE DEMANDS BETWEEN NONVERBAL FLUENCY AND COMPLEX FIGURE COPYING IN ADULTS
Abstract
The Five-Point Test (FPT) and the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) and Taylor Complex Figure Test (TCFT) are widely used instruments in neuropsychological assessment of executive functions and visuospatial abilities. Despite their frequent use in clinical practice, no studies have directly examined the association between these measures. This study investigated the associations between performance on the FPT and the copy stage of the ROCF and TCFT, exploring the relationship between nonverbal fluency and visuospatial planning in healthy adults from Southern Brazil. The sample included 188 adults, distributed into two groups: Group 1 (ROCF; n = 91) and Group 2 (TCFT; n = 97). All participants also completed the FPT. Associations between the number of unique designs and perseverations on the FPT and the copy scores of the figures were examined using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. A moderate correlation was observed between the number of unique designs on the FPT and ROCF copy performance (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and TCFT (r = 0.32, p = 0.002). The comparison between correlation coefficients using Fisher’s z transformation did not indicate a statistically significant difference (z = 1.03, p = 0.30). Perseverations were not significantly associated with copy scores. These findings suggest partially shared cognitive demands related to visuospatial organization and graphic planning. Stratified data by age and education are also presented, updating parameters for clinical interpretation.
Keywords: Executive Functions; Visuospatial Processing; Neuropsychological Tests; Verbal Fluency; Adults.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Luiza Cury Muller, Maria Joana Mäder-Joaquim, Luciano de Paola, Carlos Eduardo Soares Silvado
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