Touchscreen tablet-based cognitive assessment versus paper-based assessments for traumatic brain injury

Electronic cognitive assessment tools present potential benefits for clinical practice; however, they warrant examination before use with clinical populations such as people with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The primary study purpose was to compare results from a tablet-based, electronic cognitive assessment to two paper cognitive assessments when administered to adults with TBI. We also explored the effect of iPad comfort on performance.

We employed a quasi-experimental, correlational study design. Forty adults between 18 to 615 months post TBI completed the Standardized Touchscreen Assessment of Cognition (STAC), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT) in a systematically, counterbalanced order. We compared participants' performance on these tools and examined the effect of iPad comfort.

Three STAC subtests had a good relationship with CLQT subtests: orientation, generative naming category, and generative naming first letter. A good relationship was also identified between two STAC and two MoCA subtests: orientation and generative naming first letter. People who were very comfortable using the iPad performed statistically better on the STAC first letter fluency item than participants who were not comfortable.

Moderate correlations suggest validity for some STAC items; however, modifications and further testing are needed.