Validity of the Verbal Concept Attainment Test in multiple sclerosis

Ryan Mulligan; Michael R Basso; Lily Lau; Bradley Reynolds; Douglas M Whiteside; Dennis Combs; Robert A Bornstein

doi:10.1080/13803395.2018.1562048

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Validity of the Verbal Concept Attainment Test in multiple sclerosis

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Validity of the Verbal Concept Attainment Test in multiple sclerosis

Ryan Mulligan, Michael R Basso, Lily Lau, Bradley Reynolds, Douglas M Whiteside, Dennis Combs and Robert A Bornstein

Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology, Vol.41(4), pp.331-340

04/21/2019

DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1562048

PMCID: PMC6428607

PMID: 30642223

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6428607View

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Abstract

Objective. As many as 70% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have clinically significant cognitive impairment, and most of these individuals exhibit executive dysfunction. Most research concerning executive dysfunction in MS has focused upon nonverbal measures. The Verbal Concept Attainment Test (VCAT) has demonstrated construct validity as an executive function measure in people infected with HIV and in people with focal brain lesions, but its validity among people with MS is unknown. The current study evaluated the VCAT's criterion, diagnostic, and ecological validity in people with MS. Method. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to 44 healthy individuals and 97 people with MS. Based on existing norms, they were classified as impaired or unimpaired, resulting in 65 people with MS categorized as unimpaired and 32 as impaired. They were administered a battery assessing neuropsychological impairment and disability status. Results. The VCAT correlated with most measures of neuropsychological function, but its largest correlations occurred with measures of executive function, working memory, and verbal memory. Regarding classification accuracy, the VCAT achieved satisfactory sensitivity and specificity in identifying neuropsychological impairment in people with MS. The VCAT achieved moderate correlations with measures of disability status. Conclusions. The data provide evidence for an optimal VCAT cutoff score for establishing neuropsychological impairment in people with MS, and they demonstrate that the VCAT possesses acceptable criterion, diagnostic, and ecological validity. As such, these data support the inclusion of the VCAT in research and clinical practice involving people with MS.

Multiple Sclerosis

verbal abstract reasoning

ecological validity

Classification accuracy

criterion validity

executive function

Details

Title: Subtitle: Validity of the Verbal Concept Attainment Test in multiple sclerosis
Creators: Ryan Mulligan - Department of Psychology, University of Tulsa
Michael R Basso - Department of Psychology, University of Tulsa
Lily Lau - Department of Psychology, University of Tulsa
Bradley Reynolds - Department of Psychology, University of Tulsa
Douglas M Whiteside - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa
Dennis Combs - Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Tyler
Robert A Bornstein - Department of Psychiatry, The Ohio State University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology, Vol.41(4), pp.331-340
DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1562048
PMID: 30642223
PMCID: PMC6428607
NLM abbreviation: J Clin Exp Neuropsychol
ISSN: 1380-3395
eISSN: 1744-411X
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Grant note: R01 NS043362 / National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (10.13039/100000065)
Language: English
Date published: 04/21/2019
Academic Unit: Psychiatry
Record Identifier: 9984083266002771

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