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The Stick Design Test on the assessment of older adults with low formal education: evidences of construct, criterion-related and ecological validity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 August 2013

Jonas Jardim de Paula ,
Mônica Vieira Costa ,
Matheus Bortolosso Bocardi ,
Mariana Cortezzi ,
Edgar Nunes De Moraes  and
Leandro Fernandes Malloy-Diniz
Jonas Jardim de Paula*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychological Investigations (LIN), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil INCT de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
Mônica Vieira Costa
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychological Investigations (LIN), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil INCT de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
Matheus Bortolosso Bocardi
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychological Investigations (LIN), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil INCT de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil
Mariana Cortezzi
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Edgar Nunes De Moraes
Affiliation:
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Leandro Fernandes Malloy-Diniz
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Neuropsychological Investigations (LIN), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil INCT de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil Departamento de Saúde Mental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Jonas Jardim de Paula, Av Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte-MG, CEP 30130-100, Brazil. Phone: +55-31-9990-2760; Fax: +55-31-9990-2760. Email: jonasjardim@gmail.com.
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Abstract

Background:

The assessment of visuospatial abilities is usually performed by drawing tasks. In patients with very low formal education, the use of these tasks might be biased by their cultural background. The Stick Design Test was developed for the assessment of this population. We aim to expand the test psychometric properties by assessing its construct, criterion-related and ecological validity in older adults with low formal education.

Method:

Healthy older adults (n = 63) and Alzheimer's disease patients (n = 92) performed the Stick Design Test, Mini-Mental State Examination, Digit Span Forward and the Clock Drawing Test. Their caregivers answered Personal Care and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living). Construct validity was assessed by factor analysis, convergent correlations (with the Clock Drawing Test), and divergent correlations (with Digit Span Forward); criterion-related validity by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and binary logistic regression; and Ecological validity by correlations with ADL.

Results:

The test factor structure was composed by one component (R2 = 64%). Significant correlations with the Clock Drawing Test and Digit Span Forward were found, and the relationship was stronger with the first measure. The test was less associated with formal education than the Clock Drawing Test. It classified about 76% of the participants correctly and had and additive effect with the Mini-Mental State Examination (84% of correct classification). The test also correlated significantly with measures of ADL, suggesting ecological validity.

Conclusions:

The Stick Design Test shows evidence of construct, criterion-related and ecological validity. It is an interesting alternative to drawing tasks for the assessment of visuospatial abilities.

Keywords

Alzheimer’s disease (AD)cognitive assessmenteducationneuropsychological testingpsychogeriatrics
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 25 , Issue 12 , December 2013 , pp. 2057 - 2065
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2013 

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