Development, Normative Data, and Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Semantic Association Test (SEMAT) for Middle‐Aged and Older Adults
- 1Department of Speech and Language Therapy Biruni University Istanbul Turkey
- 2École Des Sciences de La Réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine Université Laval Québec Canada
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. Findings Educational attainment was the only demographic variable independently associated with performance across all SEMAT scores, supporting education‐adjusted norms. The SEMAT demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.88; McDonald's ω = 0.92). Significant correlations were observed between SEMAT scores and the BECLA‐Tr semantic composite (ρ = 0.41–0.54, all p < 0.001), supporting convergent validity. Item‐level analyses showed generally high accuracy and positive but variable discrimination across items. Conclusion These findings indicate that the SEMAT is a brief, culturally appropriate, and psychometrically sound measure of semantic associative processing with preliminary evidence of reliability and convergent validity and with education‐adjusted normative reference data for cognitively healthy middle‐aged and older Turkish‐speaking adults.
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BibTeX
@article{tosun2026development,
title = {{Development, Normative Data, and Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Semantic Association Test (SEMAT) for Middle‐Aged and Older Adults}},
author = {Samet Tosun and Fenise Selin Karalı and Joël Macoir},
journal = {Brain and Behavior},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/brb3.71833},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.71833},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Development, Normative Data, and Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Semantic Association Test (SEMAT) for Middle‐Aged and Older Adults
AU - Samet Tosun
AU - Fenise Selin Karalı
AU - Joël Macoir
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Brain and Behavior
DO - 10.1002/brb3.71833
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.71833
AB - 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. Findings Educational attainment was the only demographic variable independently associated with performance across all SEMAT scores, supporting education‐adjusted norms. The SEMAT demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.88; McDonald's ω = 0.92). Significant correlations were observed between SEMAT scores and the BECLA‐Tr semantic composite (ρ = 0.41–0.54, all p < 0.001), supporting convergent validity. Item‐level analyses showed generally high accuracy and positive but variable discrimination across items. Conclusion These findings indicate that the SEMAT is a brief, culturally appropriate, and psychometrically sound measure of semantic associative processing with preliminary evidence of reliability and convergent validity and with education‐adjusted normative reference data for cognitively healthy middle‐aged and older Turkish‐speaking adults.
SN - 2162-3279
ER -