Screening of visual perceptual disorders following acquired brain injury: A Delphi study

Impairments in visual perception are common after acquired brain injury (ABI) and adequate assessment is crucial for diagnosis and rehabilitation. However, there is no consensus yet on how to assess these disorders after ABI. The aim of the present study was to explore what measures are considered reasonable to be part of a test battery for the screening of a broad range of mid-level and higher-order visual perceptual disorders. A Delphi method was used to collect the opinions of 28 international multidisciplinary experts in visual perception in order to achieve consensus on the content of the test battery. Seventeen experts evaluated the test battery proposed in the third and final round of the Delphi process. Consensus was achieved (94%) on a battery of 11 distinctive tests with an expected administration time of 30 minutes. The current study provides an essential step in the development of a standardized and time-efficient test battery for the screening of mid-level and higher-order visual perceptual disorders. The composed battery may improve effectiveness of clinical assessment by providing insight into potential visual deficits in little time, thereby initiating further assessment. Future studies should focus on the validation of the suggested test battery and collect normative data.