Standardized memory tests and the appraisal of everyday memory

Although ecological validity of traditional tests of memory has been questioned, use of these tests remains the standard in clinical practice. More recently, however, standardized measures with more emphasis on ecological relevance have been developed. One hundred and nineteen adults with diagnosed brain injuries completed traditional instruments of memory assessment, the Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery Memory Scale (LNNB-M) and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R). Subjects also completed the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT), an instrument designed to measure everyday memory. Additionally, clinicians rated subjects' day-to-day memory functioning at the rehabilitation facility. Results suggest that RBMT is most accurate in classifying severity of memory impairment as rated by clinicians. The LNNB-M and WMS-R were relatively accurate at classifying severely impaired and unimpaired subjects, but were much less accurate at classifying subjects in the mild and moderate impairment ranges. Implications for interpretation and use of these instruments in rehabilitation settings are discussed.