Feasibility and construct validity evaluation of remote neuropsychological testing using the K-eRBANS: a preliminary...

This study evaluated the feasibility and construct validity of the Korean electronic version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (K-eRBANS), a tablet-based neuropsychological test designed for remote cognitive screening for the prevention and early detection of dementia.

The K-eRBANS was administered remotely using paired examiner-participant tablets with automated scoring and secure data transmission. The system was interoperable with the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC)-compliant Korean dementia standard database. Concurrent validity was examined against the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination-2 (K-MMSE-2) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). Construct validity was tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the theoretical five-factor model.

A total of 150 participants (mean age, 55.0±6.5 years; 24.7% male) completed testing. Cognitive performance was generally preserved with slightly lower visuospatial/constructional abilities (mean, 83.66; standard deviation, 21.95). K-eRBANS scores were positively correlated with K-MMSE-2 (r=0.223-0.577, p<0.01) and negatively with CDR (r=-0.118 to -0.414, p<0.01). CFA results supported the hypothesized five-factor model (χ²=104.44; chi-square to degrees of freedom ratio, 2.13; root mean square error of approximation, 0.089; comparative fit index, 0.910; Tucker-Lewis index, 0.879), indicating acceptable model fit.

The findings demonstrate that K-eRBANS is a feasible, reliable, and psychometrically valid digital neuropsychological tool that preserves the structural integrity of the original, nonelectronic version of the tool. Its integration with the CDISC-aligned databases enables scalable remote cognitive assessment and supports data-driven dementia prevention within Korea's national dementia care framework.