Validation of the competitive attention test: behavioral reliability and construct-relevant associations across the lifespan

Introduction The Competitive Attention Test (CAT) assesses distractibility as a multidimensional construct derived from cognitive neuroscience models of attention, capturing voluntary and involuntary attentional processes and their underlying mechanisms using ecologically relevant stimuli. To validate its psychometric properties, we conducted two experiments examining construct-relevant reliability and validity evidence in a lifespan sample (ages 6–89). Methods Experiment 1 assessed internal consistency ( N = 520) and inter-rater reliability ( N = 114) of indices related to speed, variability, phasic arousal, and accuracy. Experiment 2 evaluated short-term test–retest reliability ( N = 79), convergent validity with established attention measures (TAP-M, KiTAP; n = 38), and divergent validity with respect to broader cognitive abilities assessed using Wechsler intelligence scales. Results Experiment 1 confirmed coherent clustering and examiner stability of the CAT indices. In Experiment 2, most indices showed temporal stability, meaningful associations with attention-specific constructs, and minimal overlap with reasoning abilities. Conclusion These findings support the CAT as a reliable, theoretically informed measure of attentional control, with an ecologically valid design suited to research and potential clinical assessments of distractibility from 6 to 89-year-old.