Rasch Analysis of the Purdue Nonverbal Test: Any Use for Ancient Tools in the Modern Era?

Among the instruments used by psychologists in the Western Balkans, the Purdue Nonverbal Test (PNT) of visual perceptual abilities stands out as an iconic tool. Despite its venerable age of over 60 years and the clearly outdated norms questioning its validity, psychologists in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to employ it, especially in driving ability assessments. With this in mind, we aimed to evaluate the test’s functionality by establishing actual norms for new drivers via Rasch analysis. The study involved 721 participants (52.1% male), all of whom were final-year high school students. In addition to the PNT, participants completed the Short Sensation Seeking Scale (from SUPPS-P) and a specially designed Scale of Attitudes Towards Risky Driving Behaviours for this study. Analysis of the items’ unidimensionality, local independence, and item fit exposed issues with three items, which were subsequently removed from further analysis. The corrected version showed no gender bias and no indication of items with significant differential functioning. Criterion validity analysis showed that participants with a driving license significantly outperformed those without one, together with expected differences appearing across high schools attended. We observed insignificant correlations with risky driving behaviours and sensation seeking, which aligns with theoretical expectations. In addition, the information value of the PNT peaked at lower levels of ability which is vital for assessing deficient driver candidates. We discuss the benefits of employing Rasch analysis for crafting similar selection instruments and adapting time-honoured tools in the contemporary era.