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The Rookwood Driving Battery: normative older adult performance.
Janice Rees1, Pat McKenna, Vaughan Bell
1Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, Ty Dafydd Unit, Ystrad Mynach Hospital, Gwent, UK. janice.rees@gwent.wales.nhs.uk
The British Journal of Clinical Psychology
|August 29, 2007
Summary
Older adults over 70 performed worse on the Rookwood Driving Battery compared to younger individuals. Normative data needs revision for accurate assessment of driving ability in older populations.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Gerontology
- Traffic Safety
Background:
- The Rookwood Driving Battery assesses functions critical for driving.
- Previous normative data did not include sufficient older adult representation.
- Age-related cognitive changes may impact driving performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for the Rookwood Driving Battery in adults aged 70 and older.
- To investigate the effect of age on driving-related cognitive functions.
- To inform necessary revisions for using the battery with older clients.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional cohort study involving 202 healthy, community-dwelling volunteers aged 70-96.
- Participants completed the Rookwood Driving Battery and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).
- Cognitive integrity was assessed using the MMSE, with a cut-off of 25/30.
Main Results:
- 161 participants (87.5%) scored above the MMSE cut-off, indicating cognitive integrity.
- Older adults (≥70) exhibited significantly higher error scores on the battery compared to younger adults (<70).
- Significant differences were found across all 10 subtests (p ≤ .002), with nine below p=.001.
Conclusions:
- Performance on the Rookwood Driving Battery is significantly different between adults over 70 and those under 70.
- The findings necessitate modifications to the battery's application for older adult populations.
- Revised normative data is crucial for accurate driving ability assessments in the elderly.
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