Criteria Attention Skills Test (CAST)

Assessment

What is it?

The Criteria Attention Skills Test (CAST) is a short yet powerful cognitive assessment designed to measure an individual’s ability to maintain focus and concentration over extended periods. The CAST evaluates mental fitness, attention, and the ability to stay focused on one or more tasks while avoiding distractions. Consisting of four subtests from the Minicog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB), the CAST assesses a candidate’s ability to handle tasks requiring sustained attention and quick reaction times.

With a duration of 9 to 12 minutes, the CAST is ideal for evaluating candidates in positions where focus is critical for safety and productivity. By measuring skills such as divided attention, selective attention, and perceptual reaction time, the CAST helps predict success in roles such as truck drivers, security guards, video surveillance workers, and air traffic controllers. All of which require high levels of concentration and the ability to avoid distractions.

Information

Provider:

Criteriacorp

What it measures:

•

Mental Fitness

•

Concentration

•

Attention and Focus

Categories:

•

Intelligence

Measurement Objectives

The CAST measures three key components of cognitive performance:

  • Mental Fitness: A broad measure of an individual’s cognitive health and stamina.
  • Concentration: The ability to maintain focus on a task, avoiding distractions.
  • Attention and Focus: The capacity to focus on specific tasks, especially in environments where distractions are present.

These abilities are crucial in roles where sustained attention and concentration are necessary to ensure productivity, safety, and accuracy. The CAST provides insights into an individual's ability to handle these demands and maintain cognitive focus over long periods of time.

Use

The CAST is ideal for roles needing strong focus and minimal distractions, such as truck drivers, security guards, video surveillance workers, gaming dealers, and air traffic controllers. This test helps employers assess candidates' suitability early in hiring for jobs requiring sustained attention and accuracy. The CAST is short, job-specific, and provides a positive candidate experience, helping companies build a workforce prepared for high-focus tasks.

Results

CAST results include raw scores and percentile rankings, showing candidates’ performance relative to others (e.g., a 65th percentile means better than 65% of the group). These results offer employers a clear view of a candidate's sustained attention ability, supporting data-driven decisions for roles requiring high concentration and low error tolerance.

Development

The CAST is based on the Minicog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB), using scientifically validated subtests from Dr. Stephen Kosslyn’s Harvard research team to measure attention and reaction time. These subtests, validated in academic and real-world settings, accurately predict performance in focus-intensive roles. Designed for industries where concentration impacts safety and performance, the CAST is a trusted tool for evaluating candidates for high-focus roles.

Reference Group

Key features

Development

The CAST is based on the Minicog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB), using scientifically validated subtests from Dr. Stephen Kosslyn’s Harvard research team to measure attention and reaction time. These subtests, validated in academic and real-world settings, accurately predict performance in focus-intensive roles. Designed for industries where concentration impacts safety and performance, the CAST is a trusted tool for evaluating candidates for high-focus roles.

References

https://www.criteriacorp.com/files/Criteria-Overview-CAST.pdf