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Factor structure and scoring of the SKT test battery
Y S Kim1, D W Nibbelink, J E Overall
1Du Pont Merck Pharmaceutical Company, Wilmington, DE 19880-0027.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|January 1, 1993
Summary
The Syndrom Kurztest (SKT) effectively measures memory and attention in Alzheimer's patients. This study validates its use in the U.S., confirming its reliability and concurrent validity for cognitive dysfunction assessment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychometrics
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- The Syndrom Kurztest (SKT) is a cognitive assessment tool utilized in German-speaking regions for dementia clinical trials.
- Its applicability and psychometric properties in a U.S. population for Alzheimer's disease (AD) require validation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the factor structure, reliability, and concurrent validity of the SKT in a U.S. sample of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
- To determine if the SKT can reliably assess cognitive function in AD patients.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 265 U.S. patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
- Evaluation of SKT's factor structure, subtest content, reliability (test-retest), and concurrent validity against established measures (MMSE, ADAS).
Main Results:
- The SKT demonstrates a clear two-factor structure, primarily assessing memory and attention.
- High test-retest reliability was found for factor scores (.75, .93) and the total score (.90).
- SKT factor scores showed significant correlations with MMSE and ADAS scores, supporting its validity for cognitive dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- The SKT is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing cognitive function, specifically memory and attention, in U.S. patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
- Findings support the expanded use of the SKT beyond German-speaking regions for AD research and clinical assessment.