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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
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Assessing Human Spatial Navigation in a Virtual Space and its Sensitivity to Exercise
Published on: January 26, 2024
Development and validation of the Spatial Navigation and Memory Questionnaire (SPAM)
Monique S Boord1,2, Sol Morrissey3, Hannah A D Keage4
1College of Human Sciences and Culture Flinders University Adelaide South Australia Australia.
Alzheimer'S & Dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|August 13, 2026
Summary
The Spatial Navigation and Memory Questionnaire (SPAM) shows a reliable structure for assessing spatial navigation and memory in older adults. This tool may help detect early Alzheimer's disease changes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Spatial navigation deficits are potential early indicators of Alzheimer's disease.
- Existing assessment tools are often not practical for clinical use due to time or accessibility constraints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Spatial Navigation and Memory Questionnaire (SPAM).
- To provide a validated tool for assessing spatial navigation and memory in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to determine the SPAM's structure in 470 healthy older adults.
- Convergent validity was assessed using the Virtual Supermarket Test (VST) in 445 participants.
- Normative data were collected and stratified by age and sex.
Main Results:
- A two-factor structure for spatial navigation and memory was supported for the SPAM.
- The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable to good internal consistency.
- SPAM scores correlated significantly with objective spatial navigation performance on the VST.
Conclusions:
- The SPAM exhibits a clear, interpretable factor structure and acceptable model fit.
- Preliminary evidence supports the SPAM's validity as a measure of spatial navigation.
- The SPAM is a promising tool for clinical assessment of spatial cognition in aging populations.
