Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test for Children (RBMT-C): a preliminary evaluation

This article reports the development of a children's version of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (a screening test for memory impairment in adults). The test is based on memory tasks involved in normal daily life, and has four parallel versions to allow monitoring of change. Eighty-five children between the ages of 5:0 and 10:0 years each experienced two versions of the adapted test, and undertook additional intelligence and memory tests drawn from the British Ability Scales and the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children-Revised. Performance on the adapted test correlated with Intelligence score for 5- and 6-year-olds only, with Digit Span performance for 7- and 8-9-year-olds, and with Memory score for 6-year-olds only. The results establish the feasibility of using a test of everyday memory with children as young as 5:0 years, and justify trials of the test with abnormal populations.