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Psychometric intelligence in patients with traumatic brain injury: utility of a new screening measure
1Psychology Service, Mary Free Bed Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate the validity of the General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA) in a sample of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Design:
Comparison with criterion standards of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and measures of injury severity.
Setting:
Regional rehabilitation center.
Participants:
One-year prospective series of consecutive rehabilitation referrals, including 42 adult patients with TBI.
Main Outcome Measures:
GAMA and WAIS-R IQ scores were obtained within 1 year after injury and compared with each other and with measures of injury severity.
Results:
The GAMA demonstrated statistically significant covariance with the WAIS-R and was able to discriminate severe TBI from mild/moderate TBI. The correlation between the GAMA and length of coma fell just short of statistical significance.
Conclusions:
The GAMA is sufficiently sensitive to the presence or absence of severe TBI but may not be sufficiently sensitive to the exact degree of injury severity.