Related Experiment Videos
Geriatric performance on the Benton Visual Retention Test: demographic and diagnostic considerations
E Coman1, J A Moses, H C Kraemer
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, USA. ecoman@icon.palo-alto.med.va.gov
The Clinical Neuropsychologist
|August 11, 2000
Summary
This study found that age and education impact Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) scores in older adults, especially those without significant cognitive deficits. Norms were updated for older individuals, considering these demographic factors.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Psychology
Background:
- The Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) is a neuropsychological assessment tool.
- Understanding demographic and diagnostic influences on BVRT performance in older adults is crucial for accurate assessment.
- Existing norms may not fully capture the variability in older adult populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between demographic variables (age, education, gender) and diagnostic groups with BVRT performance in older adults (55-97 years).
- To develop extended geriatric norms for BVRT scores, adjusted for significant variance contributors.
- To investigate BVRT performance differences in cognitively normal older adults with memory concerns versus those with mixed neurological disorders.
Main Methods:
- Data collection from older adults aged 55-97 years.
- Statistical analysis to identify demographic and diagnostic variables associated with BVRT performance.
- Derivation of adjusted geriatric norms for BVRT total correct scores.
Main Results:
- Age and education significantly correlated with BVRT performance in both cognitively normal adults and those with memory concerns.
- Gender was not a significant factor in BVRT performance for these groups.
- Cognitive deficit level moderated the impact of age and education; these factors influenced performance in patients with no/low deficits but not in those with moderate/severe deficits.
Conclusions:
- Extended geriatric norms for the BVRT are proposed, accounting for age and education.
- BVRT performance in older adults is influenced by cognitive status, with demographic factors playing a larger role in less impaired individuals.
- These findings aid in the more accurate interpretation of BVRT results in diverse older adult populations.