Faculty Collaboration Database

Construct identification in the neuropsychological battery: What are we measuring? Neuropsychology 2023 May;37(4):351-372

Date

06/24/2022

Pubmed ID

35737535

Pubmed Central ID

PMC9945479

DOI

10.1037/neu0000832

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85133130751 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   5 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Major obstacles to data harmonization in neuropsychology include lack of consensus about what constructs and tests are most important and invariant across healthy and clinical populations. This study addressed these challenges using data from the National Neuropsychology Network (NNN).

METHOD: Data were obtained from 5,000 NNN participants and Pearson standardization samples. Analyses included variables from four instruments: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4th Edition (WAIS-IV); Wechsler Memory Scale, 4th Edition (WMS-IV); California Verbal Learning Test, 3rd Edition (CVLT3); and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). We used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate models suggested by prior work and examined fit statistics and measurement invariance across samples. We examined relations of factor scores to demographic and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS: For each instrument, we identified four first-order and one second-order factor. Optimal models in patients generally paralleled the best-fitting models in the standardization samples, including task-specific factors. Analysis of the NNN data prompted specification of a Recognition-Familiarity factor on the WMS-IV and an Inhibition-Switching factor on the D-KEFS. Analyses showed strong to strict factorial invariance across samples with expected differences in factor means and variances. The Recognition-Familiarity factor correlated with age more strongly in NNN than in the standardization sample.

CONCLUSIONS: Factor models derived from healthy groups generally fit well in patients. NNN data helped identify novel Recognition-Familiarity and Inhibition-Switching factors that were also invariant across samples and may be clinically useful. The findings support efforts to identify evidence-based and optimally efficient measurements of neuropsychological constructs that are valid across groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Author List

Bilder RM, Widaman KF, Bauer RM, Drane D, Loring DW, Umfleet LG, Reise SP, Vannier LC, Wahlstrom D, Fossum JL, Wong E, Enriquez K, Whelan F, Shih S

Author

Laura Umfleet PsyD Associate Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Humans
Neuropsychological Tests
Reference Standards
Wechsler Scales