Interrater agreement on the Benton visual retention test

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Epidemiology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Clinical neuropsychology and epidemiology of aging populations have overlapping needs.
• The Benton Visual Retention Test is commonly used to assess visual memory in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an in-depth analysis of interrater scoring reliability for the Benton Visual Retention Test in elderly males.
• To identify potential areas for improving scoring accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Two trained raters independently scored Benton Visual Retention Test (Form C, Administration A) protocols from 277 community-dwelling male participants (mean age = 65.2 years).
• Interrater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlations for total correct reproductions and errors.
• Interrater agreement on 6 specific error codes across 10 designs was evaluated using kappa statistics.

Main Results:

• High interrater reliabilities were found for total correct reproductions (.963) and total errors (.974).
• Kappa values for designs ranged from .780 to .930, and for error codes from .737 (size errors) to .976 (omissions).
• Specific challenges were noted for misplacements on design 9 (kappa=.440) and size errors on design 10 (kappa=.480).

Conclusions:

• The Benton Visual Retention Test demonstrates strong interrater reliability for overall scoring in older men.
• Targeted training and revised scoring guidelines are recommended to address identified inconsistencies in specific error codes and designs.