Can perseverative responses on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test be scored accurately?

Anecdotal reports have led to questions concerning the reliability and accuracy with which Heaton's Wisconsin Card Sorting Test perseverative response criteria can be applied. In addressing this question, this study found that practicing clinicians were less accurate than "experts" and two groups of novices. A computer scoring system allowed one novice to score with "expert" level accuracy. Utilization of this system should increase scoring accuracy. However, the program cannot accurately score protocols when the response cards are in nonstandard order. Solutions to this problem are discussed.