Brain and behavior
Development, Normative Data, and Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Semantic Association Test (SEMAT) for Middle-Aged and Older Adults
By Tosun S, Karalı FS and Macoir J.
Abstract
Purpose
Semantic associative processing is essential for language, cognition, and communication and is frequently impaired in neurodegenerative disorders. However, no brief Turkish instrument currently assesses semantic associations across both abstract and concrete conceptual domains. This study aimed to develop the Turkish Semantic Association Test (SEMAT), establish normative data, and examine selected psychometric properties.
Method
The SEMAT was developed using stimuli representing abstract, biological, and manmade concepts. Face validity was evaluated through expert review and pilot testing. Normative data were obtained from 365 cognitively healthy Turkish-speaking adults aged 53-82 years. Demographic effects were examined using multiple regression analyses, with age, education, and sex entered simultaneously as predictors. Given the bounded, negatively skewed score distributions and substantial ceiling effects, empirical percentile-based norms were generated. Internal consistency and convergent validity were assessed using semantic measures from the Batterie d'Évaluation Cognitive du Langage (BECLA-Tr). Item-level difficulty and discrimination were also examined.