MINI REVIEW article
Front. Behav. Neurosci.
Sec. Learning and Memory
Volume 19 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2025.1655310
This article is part of the Research TopicComorbidity, Severity and Neurobiological Correlates in Specific Learning Disorders: Prevention and Integrated Multimodal InterventionView all 5 articles
Assessing executive functions and metacognition: translational potential of the Metacognitive Wisconsin Card Sorting Test for developmental neuropsychology
Provisionally accepted
Giovanni Granato1*
Giulia Manzi1Jordy Di Giulio1
Concetto Puzzo2
Andrea Mattera1
Walter Adriani2
Gianluca Baldassarre1
Micaela Capobianco3- 1Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Department of Human and Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage, National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
- 2Center of Behavioral Science and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
- 3Economic, Psychological and Communication Sciences Department, Niccolò Cusano University, Rome, Italy, Rome, Italy
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The development of metacognition and executive functions support adaptive and goal-directed behaviour in adulthood. Therefore, effective screening of these competences is crucial for implementing early interventions in educational and clinical contexts. While neuropsychological tests typically target a single competence and force clinicians to rely on time-consuming batteries, the Metacognitive Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Meta-WCST) probes metacognition, executive functions and their interaction. However, this test has not yet been scientifically validated on children with either typical or atypical development. This gap reflects both a methodological shortcoming and a missed opportunity for developmental neuropsychology. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of studies involving the Meta-WCST, with the aim of evaluating its translational potential for developmental applications. Despite several methodological limitations in the current literature, our evaluation suggests that the Meta-WCST can be adapted to developmental contexts through targeted improvements to theoretical/computational frameworks, data analyses methods, protocol procedures. These considerations have meaningful implications for multiple areas of developmental neuropsychology, including scientific research, educational practice, and clinical assessment.
Keywords: metacognition, executive functions, neuropsychological assessment, Metacognitive Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, neuro-developmental disorders
Received: 27 Jun 2025; Accepted: 14 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Granato, Manzi, Giulio, Puzzo, Mattera, Adriani, Baldassarre and Capobianco. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Giovanni Granato, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Department of Human and Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage, National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
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