Normative data and psychometric properties for qualitative and quantitative scoring criteria of the Five-point Test

The Five-point Test (Regard, Strauss, & Knapp, 1982) was introduced for the measurement of figural fluency as part of the examination of executive functions. Until now, no differentiated norms exist. We present normative data for adults aged 18–80 (n = 280) for the number of unique designs (productivity), the percent of perseverations (flexibility), the percent of rotated (strategic) designs, and the number of rule breakings. As age and education were correlated with test performance, norms were stratified by these two variables. Test–retest reliability and inter-rater reliability were calculated. Moreover, convergent and divergent validity as well as factorial validity were assessed through intercorrelations and correlations with other neuropsychological tests. All together, the Five-point Test proved to be reliable and valid.     

The Relationship of IQ to Effort Test Performance

The relationship between IQ and nine effort indicators was examined in a sample of 189 neuropsychology clinic outpatients who were not in litigation or attempting to obtain disability. Participants with the lowest IQ (50–59) failed approximately 60% of the effort tests, while patients with an IQ of 60 to 69 failed 44% of effort indicators, and individuals with borderline IQ (70 to 79) exhibited a 17% failure rate. All patients with IQ < 70 failed at least one effort test. Cutoffs for the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (Words) and Finger Tapping maintained the highest specificities in low IQ samples.     

Sensitivity of the Test of Memory and Learning to Attention and Memory Deficits in Children with ADHD

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit a number of cognitive deficits. The current study compared patterns of attention, learning, and memory impairment on the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) between 80 children with ADHD and 80 normal comparisons who were matched for age and gender. Results demonstrated that children with ADHD performed significantly worse than matched controls on the Attention/Concentration Index and the Sequential Recall Index. ROC analysis indicated that these two indexes had good classification accuracy with AUCs of.76 and.77 respectively. There were also group differences on the other index scores except the Associative Recall Index. Factor analysis of the ADHD sample extracted five factors, including an Attention factor that significantly correlated with performance on nonverbal memory tasks. Significant correlations between the TOMAL Index scores and tests of intelligence and visuomotor integration supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the test. These results provide support for the criterion validity of the TOMAL in assessing neurocognitive deficits in children with ADHD.     

Re-Examination of the Rey Word Recognition Test

The Rey Word Recognition Test, a brief and simple to administer free-standing neurocognitive performance validity test, was examined in a large known-groups sample (122 credible patients and 134 non-credible patients). Total correctly recognized was the most sensitive score, identifying 54% of non-credible participants using a cut-off of ≤6, while maintaining specificity of approximately 90%. However, specifically rates were somewhat lower in credible individuals with <12 years of education or borderline intelligence, or who were bilingual (spoke English as a second language, or learned English concurrently with another language), indicating that cut-offs may require minor adjustment in these groups. Sensitivity rates were much higher in non-credible female versus male mild traumatic brain injury patients (mTBI; 68% versus 48% for total correct), suggesting that the Rey Word Recognition Test is particularly effective in identifying performance invalidity in female mTBI compensation seekers.     

The Geriatric Depression Scale and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. A validity study

The study is a validation study of two psychogeriatric depression rating scales, The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). The sensitivity and specificity, and the convergent and criterion validity of the two scales as well as the inter-rater reliability of the CSDD are reported. Two independent clinicians using the ICD-10 for depression and dementia, the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), the Hamilton Depression rating scale 17-items and the Mini-Mental-State Examination (MMSE), interviewed each patient or control subject. One hundred forty-five persons of 65 years or more of age were included, 73 were depressed only, 36 depressed and demented; 36 persons were control subjects, 11 of these were demented. The inter-rater reliabilities were high or very high equalling perfect correlation. There was very high convergent validity between the screening tools and the severity scales; the shorter versions of the GDS (15-, 10- or four-item version) had lower though still almost perfect correlations. The criterion validity in the total population showed the CSDD as the better scale with sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 97% with a cut-off value of ≥6. The GDS versions had sensitivities and specificities ranging from 82% to 90% and 75% to 94% respectively with cut-off values ≥9, 4, 3 and 1. The CSDD retained its validity and specificity as a screening tool for depression in a population of demented, while the GDS versions all diminished in validity. The GDS and the CSDD are both valid screening tools for depression in the elderly; however, the CSDD alone seems to be equally valid in populations of demented and non-demented.     

Reliability and validity of the Danish version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia

Depressive symptoms within the range of schizophrenic syndromes constitute a major diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Earlier research has indicated that available depression scales are not adequate when examining mood disturbances in patients with schizophrenia. We have made an attempt to estimate the reliability and validity of the Danish version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. The external validity has been analysed in relation to the Major Depression Inventory (MDI). The internal validity has been analysed by using Loevinger's coefficient of homogeneity as the primary statistic. For the inter-observer reliability the intra-class coefficients have been calculated. It was shown that a subscale of the Calgary scale has sufficient reliability and validity.     

Validation of the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (Hong Kong Chinese version) for people with stroke

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a Hong Kong Chinese version of the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT-HKCV). Thirty-three subjects at least one year post-stroke participated in the study. They were simultaneously rated on version A of the CAMPROMPT-HKCV by two testers to establish its internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Raters used the parallel versions of the test (A and B), in rating 10 patients within 2 weeks to establish the parallel form reliability. Another 10 were also assessed on the same day using both version A of the CAMPROMPT-HKCV and the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test–Chinese version (RBMT-CV) to establish concurrent validity. A new group of 40 stroke patients and 44 healthy controls was recruited to establish its sensitivity and specificity. Results indicated that test–retest reliability on time-based, event-based and total scores, and inter-rater reliability for versions A and B of the test were high. Cronbach's alpha of the event-based score was higher than that of the time-based score. The reliability and concurrent validity of the parallel forms were established. There was a significant difference in performance on CAMPROMPT-HKCV (version A) between the stroke group and the healthy control group. ROC analysis showed that the ability of the cut-off CAMPROMPT-HKCV (total score) to differentiate PM problems was 20.5 (out of 36) with sensitivity at 95.5% and specificity at 55.9%. Further study in developing stratified norms across different age groups in Chinese-speaking stroke patients is recommended.     

A psychometric study of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development – 3rd Edition for term and preterm Taiwanese infants

The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development – 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) was updated to enhance its usefulness for contemporary child developmental assessment. However, recent data in Western countries have implicated the overestimation of child development by the new instrument. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric features of the Bayley-III for term and preterm infants in Taiwan. Forty-seven term infants and 167 preterm infants were prospectively examined with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development – 2nd Edition (BSID-II) and the Bayley-III at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age (corrected for prematurity). The psychometric properties examined included reliability, construct validity, and known-group validity. The intra- and inter-rater reliabilities of the Bayley-III were good to excellent. The correlations between the BSID-II and Bayley-III raw scores were good to excellent for the cognitive and motor items and low to excellent for the language items. Term infants achieved higher composite scores than preterm infants on all of the Bayley-III scales (p < 0.05). However, their rates of developmental delay were lower than the previously established prevalence estimates. The Bayley-III cut-off composite score was adjusted 10–20, 1–13, and 12–24 points higher than 70 for optimal prediction of cognitive, language, and motor delay, respectively, as defined by the BSID-II index score < 70. The Bayley-III is a reliable instrument that extends its previous edition, especially in early language assessment. However, the upward adjustment of its cut-off score is recommended for the accurate identification of developmental delay in term and preterm Taiwanese infants.     

赌博相关认知量表中文版在大学生中的信效度检验

目的观察赌博相关认知量表中文版（GRCS—C）在大学生人群中的适用性。方法采取整群抽样的方法共抽取1787名大学生进行调查,并以赌博冲动量表（GUS—C）、抑郁-焦虑-压力量表（DASS-21）为效标,检验效标效度,其中96名学生4周后用GRcs—C重测。结果GRCS—C总量表的Cronbach’sa系数为0．934,各分量表的“系数在0．673～0．839;量表分半信度在0．706～0．880,4周后的重测信度在0．728～0．900,23个条目间的平均相关系数为0．398,5个分量表的条目间平均相关系数在0．371～0．553。验证性因素分析显示GRCS—C二阶五因素结构模型拟合最好（x^2/df=12．305,GFI-0．867,NFI-0．867,IFI=0．877,RMSEA=0．080）。赌博相关认知量表（GRCS—C）总分及其分量表和GUS—C总分的相关系数在0．256～0．357,与DASS-21总分及其分量表的相关系数在0．124-0．207（P〈0．01）。在赌博相关认知总分及4个分量表（赌博期待、无力戒毒、控制错觉和解释偏差）得分上男性高于女性,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论GRCS--C具有较好的信度和效度,可以在国内大学生群体研究中采用。