INS NYC 2024 Program

Paper	Paper Session 21 Program Schedule 02/17/2024 10:45 am - 12:10 pm Room: West Side Ballroom - Salon 2 Paper Session 21: Teleneuropsychology and Technology Final Abstract #4 Psychometric Properties of the Rhode Island Mobile Cognitive Assessment Tool Sydney Sullivan, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States Kunal Mankodiya, EchoWear, West Warwick, United States Nicholas Constant, EchoWear, West Warwick, United States Charles Denby, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States Brian Ott, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States Laura Korthauer, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States Alyssa De Vito, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States Taylor Maynard, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States Melissa Zammitti, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States Geoffrey Tremont, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States Category: Teleneuropsychology/ Technology Keyword 1: cognitive screening Keyword 2: memory disorders Keyword 3: technology Objective: Assessment of cognitive functioning is important for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Current cognitive screening tools are seldom administered during a medical provider visit due to time limitations and lack of trained personnel; therefore, there is a need to develop cognitive screening tools that can be easily administered in minimally supervised settings. In response to this need, we developed the Rhode Island Mobile Cognitive Assessment Tool (RIMCAT), a self-administered tablet-based test with an age-friendly interface. The test includes measures of orientation, attention, language, verbal and visual memory, computation, and executive functioning. The objective of this study was to collect reliability and validity data on the instrument in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Participants and Methods: 100 participants (Healthy Controls [HC] n=50; Cognitively Impaired [CI], diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia n=50) were administered the RIMCAT on an Android tablet in either a medical office or senior center under the supervision of a research assistant who provided only verbal prompts when necessary. Participants also completed a detailed neuropsychological test battery. Participants returned approximately four weeks later to repeat the RIMCAT for test-retest reliability purposes. Results: Participants were 95% white, 70% female, had a mean age of 72.34 (SD = 8.43), and were well-educated (M = 15.28 yrs; SD = 2.37). Four individuals in the CI group were unable to complete the RIMCAT despite verbal prompting. Most older adults with and without cognitive impairment were able to complete the RIMCAT in less than 30 minutes (HC = 22.31; CI = 25.42 mins). For the entire sample, 4-week test-retest reliability (M = 32.57 days, SD = 7.19) was excellent (r = .91). Test-retest reliability was .79 for the HC group and .90 for the CI group. Both groups showed practice effects on RIMCAT total scores between time 1 and 2 (HC +13.31 pts; CI +8.49 pts). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was .80. In terms of validity, RIMCAT total scores at baseline were significantly correlated with Mini Mental State Examination (r = .49) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (r = .69). RIMCAT components also significantly correlated with corresponding in-office neuropsychological measures, including Hopkins Verbal Learning Test total learning (r = .71). HC outperformed those with CI on RIMCAT total scores (HC: M = 123.49, SD = 16.79; CI: M = 92.76, SD = 18.68), p < 0.001 and had faster reaction times on timed tasks. ROC analysis showed that RIMCAT total scores had strong ability to distinguish between HC and CI individuals, AUC = .895 (95% CI = .834-.956), p <.001. Conclusions: These results demonstrated strong test-retest reliability and internal consistency, and evidence of concurrent and construct validity. Cognitively healthy individuals significantly outperformed those with cognitive impairment, and the RIMCAT scores strongly discriminated between cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired individuals. Our results suggest that the RIMCAT is an effective tool for cognitive screening of older adults in minimally supervised settings. Future research will validate the self-administration of the RIMCAT in a home setting.

Paper

02/17/2024
10:45 am - 12:10 pm
Room: West Side Ballroom - Salon 2

Paper Session 21: Teleneuropsychology and Technology

Final Abstract #4

Psychometric Properties of the Rhode Island Mobile Cognitive Assessment Tool

Sydney Sullivan, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States
Kunal Mankodiya, EchoWear, West Warwick, United States
Nicholas Constant, EchoWear, West Warwick, United States
Charles Denby, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States
Brian Ott, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States
Laura Korthauer, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States
Alyssa De Vito, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States
Taylor Maynard, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States
Melissa Zammitti, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, United States
Geoffrey Tremont, Alpert Medical School Brown University, Providence, United States

Category: Teleneuropsychology/ Technology

Keyword 1: cognitive screening
Keyword 2: memory disorders
Keyword 3: technology

Objective:

Assessment of cognitive functioning is important for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Current cognitive screening tools are seldom administered during a medical provider visit due to time limitations and lack of trained personnel; therefore, there is a need to develop cognitive screening tools that can be easily administered in minimally supervised settings. In response to this need, we developed the Rhode Island Mobile Cognitive Assessment Tool (RIMCAT), a self-administered tablet-based test with an age-friendly interface. The test includes measures of orientation, attention, language, verbal and visual memory, computation, and executive functioning. The objective of this study was to collect reliability and validity data on the instrument in older adults with and without cognitive impairment.

Participants and Methods:

100 participants (Healthy Controls [HC] n=50; Cognitively Impaired [CI], diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia n=50) were administered the RIMCAT on an Android tablet in either a medical office or senior center under the supervision of a research assistant who provided only verbal prompts when necessary. Participants also completed a detailed neuropsychological test battery. Participants returned approximately four weeks later to repeat the RIMCAT for test-retest reliability purposes.

Results:

Participants were 95% white, 70% female, had a mean age of 72.34 (SD = 8.43), and were well-educated (M = 15.28 yrs; SD = 2.37). Four individuals in the CI group were unable to complete the RIMCAT despite verbal prompting. Most older adults with and without cognitive impairment were able to complete the RIMCAT in less than 30 minutes (HC = 22.31; CI = 25.42 mins). For the entire sample, 4-week test-retest reliability (M = 32.57 days, SD = 7.19) was excellent (r = .91). Test-retest reliability was .79 for the HC group and .90 for the CI group. Both groups showed practice effects on RIMCAT total scores between time 1 and 2 (HC +13.31 pts; CI +8.49 pts). Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was .80. In terms of validity, RIMCAT total scores at baseline were significantly correlated with Mini Mental State Examination (r = .49) and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (r = .69). RIMCAT components also significantly correlated with corresponding in-office neuropsychological measures, including Hopkins Verbal Learning Test total learning (r = .71). HC outperformed those with CI on RIMCAT total scores (HC: M = 123.49, SD = 16.79; CI: M = 92.76, SD = 18.68), p < 0.001 and had faster reaction times on timed tasks. ROC analysis showed that RIMCAT total scores had strong ability to distinguish between HC and CI individuals, AUC = .895 (95% CI = .834-.956), p <.001.

Conclusions:

These results demonstrated strong test-retest reliability and internal consistency, and evidence of concurrent and construct validity. Cognitively healthy individuals significantly outperformed those with cognitive impairment, and the RIMCAT scores strongly discriminated between cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired individuals. Our results suggest that the RIMCAT is an effective tool for cognitive screening of older adults in minimally supervised settings. Future research will validate the self-administration of the RIMCAT in a home setting.