Classification with the Luria-Nebraska neuropsychological battery: an application of cluster and ipsative profile...

A sample of 114 subjects, 23 with predominantly left hemisphere brain damage, 25 with predominantly right hemisphere brain damage, 26 with diffuse brain damage, and 40 with adult learning disability were administered the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery (LNNB). The clinical scale data were cluster analyzed and subjected to an ipsative analysis of the cluster profiles. A four cluster solution was utilized. It was found that while stable clusters were produced, they were relatively unrelated to actual diagnoses. The first cluster had a normal mean profile, the second reflected specific language impairment, the third, nonverbal skill, memory, and intellectual impairment and the fourth, generalized impairment. The results were discussed in terms of the capacity of the LNNB to generate meaningful neuropsychological profiles.