Normative Reference Values, Reliability, and Item-Level Symptom Endorsement for the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive...

Area of Science:

• Psychological Measurement
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Reliable and valid measures of perceived cognitive functioning are essential for clinical practice and research.
• The PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function-Short Forms offer a standardized approach to assessing subjective cognitive abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present normative data, internal consistency statistics, and base rates for the PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function-Short Forms.
• To evaluate the reliability and validity of these cognitive function measures across diverse demographic and clinical subgroups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized four-, six-, and eight-item PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function scales to assess subjective cognitive functioning.
• Analyzed data from a U.S. general population sample (n=1,009), stratified by gender, education, health status, and mental health history.
• Examined cognitive symptom reporting and internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and Mann-Whitney U tests.

Main Results:

• All three PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function short forms exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: .85–.95).
• Individuals with a history of depression or anxiety, or current mental health symptoms, reported significantly worse perceived cognitive functioning.
• Effect sizes for these differences were substantial, particularly for the eight-item form.

Conclusions:

• The PROMIS® v2.0 Cognitive Function scales are reliable measures of subjective cognitive functioning.
• Subgroup differences highlight the strong link between emotional well-being and cognitive function.
• This study provides crucial normative values and base rates for precise interpretation in clinical and research settings.