Longitudinal and psychometric profiles of two cognitive status tests in very old adults

J Clin Psychol. 1997 Nov;53(7):673-86. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199711)53:7<673::aid-jclp5>3.0.co;2-j.

Abstract

Forty-four nondemented adults, over the age of 75 years, were tested at six-month intervals spanning two years. Study goals were to examine the validity of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), to assess the long-term reliability of these instruments, and to examine the longitudinal profile of this sample. Results showed that the MMSE was moderately correlated with the WAIS-R. The MMSE had low internal consistency, although the total score behaved reliably across the five occasions. The WAIS-R scales showed a high degree of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. WAIS-R performance remained stable across occasions; however, decline was evident in the MMSE subtests of Attention and Language.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / psychology*
  • Cognition*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intelligence*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Memory*
  • Neuropsychological Tests / standards*
  • Reproducibility of Results