Replicating a Meta-Analysis: The Search for the Optimal Word Choice Test Cutoff Continues.

This study was designed to expand on a recent meta-analysis that identified ≤42 as the optimal cutoff on the Word Choice Test (WCT). We examined the base rate of failure and the classification accuracy of various WCT cutoffs in four independent clinical samples ( = 252) against various psychometrically defined criterion groups. WCT ≤ 47 achieved acceptable combinations of specificity (.

Delirium as a Presenting Symptom of COVID-19.

Background: Delirium is a common neurologic manifestation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in older adults who present to the emergency department (ED).

Objective: To investigate clinical characteristics associated with delirium as a presenting symptom of COVID-19 in older adults and develop a logistic regression to predict the likelihood of delirium.

Method: We compared clinical characteristics in an age- and gender-matched sample of 68 delirious individuals with 68 nondelirious individuals (Mage = 78) who presented to the ED with COVID-19.

Critical Item Analysis Enhances the Classification Accuracy of the Logical Memory Recognition Trial as a Performance Validity Indicator.

Objective: : Replicate previous research on Logical Memory Recognition (LM) and perform a critical item analysis.

Method: : Performance validity was psychometrically operationalized in a mixed clinical sample of 213 adults. Classification of the LM and nine critical items (CR-9) was computed.

Predictors of survival in older adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

Objective: This study was designed to investigate clinical characteristics associated with mortality and predictors of survival in older adults hospitalized with COVID-19 with a focus on neurological comorbidities and presenting neurological manifestations.

Methods: We compared clinical characteristics in an age- and gender-matched sample of 75 deceased and 75 recovered patients (M = 78) hospitalized with COVID-19 and developed a logistic regression to predict likelihood of survival.

Results: Deceased patients were more like to have dementia, altered mental status (AMS), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, mechanical ventilation, and balance difficulties; higher heart rate, respiratory rate, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and absolute neutrophils; lower oxygen saturation and absolute lymphocytes; and shorter length of hospitalization.

Verbal fluency and digit span variables as performance validity indicators in experimentally induced malingering and real world patients with TBI.

This study was designed to examine the classification accuracy of verbal fluency (VF) measures as performance validity tests (PVT). Student volunteers were assigned to the control ( = 57) or experimental malingering ( = 24) condition. An archival sample of 77 patients with TBI served as a clinical comparison.

The doubtful benefits of giving the benefit of the doubt: Lenient scoring of the spatial orientation items on the mini-Mental Status Exam increases false negative rates.

Lenient scoring of spatial orientation errors (SOE) on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is common practice, even though it deviates from standard protocol and may compromise its diagnostic power. This study was designed to empirically evaluate the effect of lenient scoring on the MMSE's classification accuracy. Participants were 113 community dwelling older adults recruited for a research study, representing a wide range of range of neurological status from cognitively healthy to Alzheimer's disease.

The power of timing: Adding a time-to-completion cutoff to the Word Choice Test and Recognition Memory Test improves classification accuracy.

Introduction: The Recognition Memory Test (RMT) and Word Choice Test (WCT) are structurally similar, but psychometrically different. Previous research demonstrated that adding a time-to-completion cutoff improved the classification accuracy of the RMT. However, the contribution of WCT time-cutoffs to improve the detection of invalid responding has not been investigated.