Construct validity of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery in individuals with stroke

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Clinical Neurology

Background:

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox for the Assessment of Behavior and Neurological Function Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) offers a brief (30-min) assessment of core cognitive functions.
• Evaluating the construct validity of the NIHTB-CB is crucial for its application in clinical settings with stroke patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the construct validity of the NIHTB-CB in individuals following a stroke.
• To support the clinical utility of the NIHTB-CB for assessing cognitive function in stroke populations.

Main Methods:

• 131 stroke survivors (71 mild, 60 moderate/severe) completed the NIHTB-CB.
• Univariate analyses compared cognitive profiles between mild and moderate/severe stroke groups.
• Pearson correlations assessed convergent and discriminant validity against established neuropsychological tests.

Main Results:

• Moderate to severe stroke participants showed poorer performance on several NIHTB-CB measures compared to mild stroke participants.
• Strong correlations (median r = .60) between NIHTB-CB and standard tests supported convergent validity.
• Smaller correlations between different cognitive domains than within domains supported discriminant validity; 42% exhibited mild cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the construct validity of the NIHTB-CB for use in individuals with stroke.
• The NIHTB-CB demonstrates clinical utility in differentiating cognitive deficits related to stroke severity.