Construct validity of the San Diego Neuropsychological Test Battery

A group of 259 normal adults were administered the San Diego Neuropsychological Test Battery. Factor analysis of the SDNB supported the construct validity of the battery according to a Luria-based functional systems assessment approach. Using expert ratings to interpret the obtained factor loadings, the following factors were identified: (a) arousal, (b) mnestic processes, (c) complex intelligence, and (d) planning. A second factor analysis of the SDNB, using a sample of 100 schizophrenic and head injured cases, achieved a factor structure very similar to that of the normal sample, offering further empirical support for a functional assessment approach with clinical populations. The clinical factor analysis yielded slightly different proportions of variance contributed by the test measures and two planning factors. The results are discussed as they relate to Luria's qualitative analysis of cortical organization applied to a quantitative methodology.