Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 16, 2026

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
Validity of regression-based norms: an empirical test of the comprehensive norms with older adults
1Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 46202-3275, USA. pfastena@iupui.edu
Abstract:
This study empirically tested Fastenau and Adams' (1996) concerns about using regression-based norms (RBN) to statistically correct for demographic influences. A widely used RBN system (Heaton, Grant, & Matthews, 1991) was applied to scores from 63 healthy older adults for the Trail Making Test, Boston Naming Test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Age influences on all tests were virtually eliminated by the RBNs, whereas education influences were created by the RBN (better educated older adults penalized by the norms). Using RBNs from the Revised WCST Manual also created distortions, far overcorrecting for age. These findings cast considerable suspicion on norms that are generated by statistical regression when there are not adequate numbers of people supporting each demographic cell. Clinically, these norms can lead to higher rates of false negatives (or missed diagnoses) in older adults, especially those with less education and especially women in their 60s.
Related Concept Videos
Reliability and Validity
Regression Toward the Mean
Empirical Method to Interpret Standard Deviation
This rule is used widely in statistics to calculate the proportion of data values...
Central Limit Theorem
The sample size, n, that...
Statistical Methods to Analyze Parametric Data: Student t-Test and Goodness-of-Fit Test
The Student's t-test is a statistical test that examines if there is a statistically significant difference between the means of two groups. This test is instrumental when dealing with data...
Friedman Two-way Analysis of Variance by Ranks

