[Testing with the computer--the Diamed System]

The Diamed System has been developed to reduce the time-consuming testing routines involved in psychopathometric studies of disease course in the field of medicine. Test administration was to be relieved of those activities, in particular in repeat testing, examiners experienced as weary, unpleasant, repetitive, and uncreative. An important aim had been to permit data collection by as independent a dialogue as possible between the patient and the micro-computer, and extremely simple operations and instructions were considered of great importance. The opportunity has, however, also been utilized to implement promising performance testing procedures for measuring basic parameters of mental capability. Beside mental-amnestic capacity, the procedures cover subjective complaints because these, too, frequently are relevant in measuring the course of psychic disorders. The procedures incorporated in the Diamed System permit reliability verifications as to whether self-assessment and independent computerized testing might not be asking too much of the patients intellectually. Most of the procedures will be used for studying disease course in acute Organic Psychosyndromes and in all disorders that are associated with changes in mood and/or with subjective complaints. Diagnostic assistance moreover is offered for determining the presence of acute Organic Psychosyndromes. Under the name of "brain jogging", an economical programme is introduced for mental training, aimed at maintaining and improving basic central information processing capacities. Its effect on intelligence and memory has been demonstrated on in-patient populations, both with and without brain-organic disorders. Notably in the case of acute Organic Psychosyndromes, it has turned out to be an effective supplement to drug treatment.