PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: A prevalent challenge in neuropsychological assessment, particularly when utilizing instruments designed for controlled laboratory environments, is that the outcomes may not correspond to an individual\'s real-life status. Accordingly, assessments of visuospatial working memory (VSWM) conducted in such settings might fail to capture certain facets of this function, as it operates in real life. On the other hand, entirely ecological assessments may risk compromising internal validity. This study aimed to develop an intermediate mode of assessment that measures VSWM in older adults by employing a setting, a task, and a response format that aligns closely with both laboratory and ecological assessments. Furthermore, a preliminary investigation was carried out to study the variations in spatial cognition among different demographic groups.
METHODS: In a two-session study, 77 healthy older adults, eight patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and seven patients with Alzheimer\'s disease (AD) were recruited to complete the wayfinding questionnaire (WQ), the Corsi block-tapping task (CBTT), and the Spatial Memory Table (SMT). The SMT is a novel instrument developed specifically for this study, aiming to provide a more accurate measure of VSWM performance in older adults\' everyday life. Test-retest and split-half reliabilities, as well as the face, content, concurrent, convergent, and known-groups validities, were analyzed to investigate the psychometric properties of the SMT.
RESULTS: The analyses were mainly centered on studying the psychometric properties of the SMT. Test-retest reliability (r = .753, p < .001) and split-half reliability (ρSC = 0.747) were found to be acceptable. Concurrent validity using CBTT (r = .264, p = .021), convergent validity using WQ subscales (navigation and orientation: r = .282, p = .014; distance estimation: r = .261, p = .024), and known-groups validity using the SMT scores among people with MCI and AD (χ2 = 35.194, df = 2, p < .001) were also indicative of the instrument\'s good validity. Data analysis also revealed acceptable levels of face validity (U = 4.50; p = .095) and content validity (CVR ≥ 0.60). As a result of comparing VSWM and wayfinding variables across genders and education levels, a significant difference was observed for navigation and orientation and spatial anxiety between women and men (p < .05). None of the variables were different among education levels.
CONCLUSIONS: The SMT was found to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring VSWM performance in older adults. Given these findings, the SMT can be regarded as a measure that sufficiently approximates both laboratory and real-life demands for VSWM. Additionally, the instrument demonstrated a preliminary acceptable capacity to differentiate between healthy individuals and those with MCI and AD.
METHODS: In a two-session study, 77 healthy older adults, eight patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and seven patients with Alzheimer\'s disease (AD) were recruited to complete the wayfinding questionnaire (WQ), the Corsi block-tapping task (CBTT), and the Spatial Memory Table (SMT). The SMT is a novel instrument developed specifically for this study, aiming to provide a more accurate measure of VSWM performance in older adults\' everyday life. Test-retest and split-half reliabilities, as well as the face, content, concurrent, convergent, and known-groups validities, were analyzed to investigate the psychometric properties of the SMT.
RESULTS: The analyses were mainly centered on studying the psychometric properties of the SMT. Test-retest reliability (r = .753, p < .001) and split-half reliability (ρSC = 0.747) were found to be acceptable. Concurrent validity using CBTT (r = .264, p = .021), convergent validity using WQ subscales (navigation and orientation: r = .282, p = .014; distance estimation: r = .261, p = .024), and known-groups validity using the SMT scores among people with MCI and AD (χ2 = 35.194, df = 2, p < .001) were also indicative of the instrument\'s good validity. Data analysis also revealed acceptable levels of face validity (U = 4.50; p = .095) and content validity (CVR ≥ 0.60). As a result of comparing VSWM and wayfinding variables across genders and education levels, a significant difference was observed for navigation and orientation and spatial anxiety between women and men (p < .05). None of the variables were different among education levels.
CONCLUSIONS: The SMT was found to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring VSWM performance in older adults. Given these findings, the SMT can be regarded as a measure that sufficiently approximates both laboratory and real-life demands for VSWM. Additionally, the instrument demonstrated a preliminary acceptable capacity to differentiate between healthy individuals and those with MCI and AD.
摘要：
背景：神经心理学评估中普遍存在的挑战，特别是当使用为受控实验室环境设计的仪器时，结果可能不符合个人的现实生活状态。因此，在此类设置中进行的视觉空间工作记忆（VSWM）评估可能无法捕获此功能的某些方面，就像它在现实生活中运作一样。另一方面,完全生态评估可能会损害内部有效性。这项研究旨在开发一种中间评估模式，通过采用一种环境来衡量老年人的VSWM，一项任务,以及与实验室和生态评估密切相关的响应格式。此外，进行了初步调查，以研究不同人口群体之间的空间认知差异。
方法：在一项为期两次的研究中，77名健康的老年人，8例轻度认知障碍（MCI）患者，招募7名阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者完成寻路问卷(WQ)，Corsi区块攻丝任务（CBTT），和空间记忆表(SMT)。SMT是专门为这项研究开发的新型仪器，旨在更准确地衡量老年人日常生活中的VSWM表现。测试重测和半分可靠性，还有脸，内容,并发,convergent,和已知群体的有效性，进行了分析，以研究SMT的心理测量学特性。
结果：分析主要集中在研究SMT的心理测量特性上。测试重测可靠性（r=.753，p<.001）和分半可靠性（ρSC=0.747）是可以接受的。使用CBTT的并发有效性(r=.264，p=.021)，使用WQ子量表的收敛有效性(导航和方向：r=.282，p=.014；距离估计：r=.261，p=.024)，在MCI和AD患者中使用SMT评分的已知组有效性（χ2=35.194，df=2，p<.001）也表明该工具具有良好的有效性。数据分析还显示面部有效性（U=4.50；p=0.095）和内容有效性（CVR≥0.60）的可接受水平。由于比较了不同性别和教育水平的VSWM和寻路变量，男性和女性之间的导航和定向以及空间焦虑存在显着差异（p<0.05）。各个教育水平之间的变量都没有差异。
结论：发现SMT是测量老年人VSWM性能的可靠有效工具。鉴于这些发现,SMT可以被视为充分接近VSWM的实验室和现实生活需求的措施。此外,该仪器显示了区分健康个体与MCI和AD患者的初步可接受能力.
方法：在一项为期两次的研究中，77名健康的老年人，8例轻度认知障碍（MCI）患者，招募7名阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者完成寻路问卷(WQ)，Corsi区块攻丝任务（CBTT），和空间记忆表(SMT)。SMT是专门为这项研究开发的新型仪器，旨在更准确地衡量老年人日常生活中的VSWM表现。测试重测和半分可靠性，还有脸，内容,并发,convergent,和已知群体的有效性，进行了分析，以研究SMT的心理测量学特性。
结果：分析主要集中在研究SMT的心理测量特性上。测试重测可靠性（r=.753，p<.001）和分半可靠性（ρSC=0.747）是可以接受的。使用CBTT的并发有效性(r=.264，p=.021)，使用WQ子量表的收敛有效性(导航和方向：r=.282，p=.014；距离估计：r=.261，p=.024)，在MCI和AD患者中使用SMT评分的已知组有效性（χ2=35.194，df=2，p<.001）也表明该工具具有良好的有效性。数据分析还显示面部有效性（U=4.50；p=0.095）和内容有效性（CVR≥0.60）的可接受水平。由于比较了不同性别和教育水平的VSWM和寻路变量，男性和女性之间的导航和定向以及空间焦虑存在显着差异（p<0.05）。各个教育水平之间的变量都没有差异。
结论：发现SMT是测量老年人VSWM性能的可靠有效工具。鉴于这些发现,SMT可以被视为充分接近VSWM的实验室和现实生活需求的措施。此外,该仪器显示了区分健康个体与MCI和AD患者的初步可接受能力.
