Factor Analytic Studies Of Human Brain Damage: I. First And Second-Order Factors And Their Brain Correlates

Childhood pegboard task predicts adult-onset psychosis-spectrum disorder among a genetic high-risk sample

Motor abnormalities have been established as a core aspect of psychosis-spectrum disorders, with numerous studies identifying deficits prior to clinical symptom presentation. Additional research is needed to pinpoint standardized motor assessments associated with psychosis-spectrum disorders prior to illness onset to enhance prediction and understanding of etiology. With a long history of findings among people with diagnosable psychosis-spectrum disorders, but little research conducted during the premorbid phase, pegboard tasks are a viable and understudied measure of premorbid for psychosis motor functioning. In the current study, examining data from the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort, the Simultaneous Pegs Test was performed with children (n=244, aged 10-13) at genetic high risk for psychosis (n=94) and controls (n=150). Findings suggest that children who eventually developed a psychosis-spectrum disorder (n=33) were less likely to successfully complete the task within time limit relative to controls (χ²(2, N=244)=6.94, p=0.03, ϕ=0.17). Additionally, children who eventually developed a psychosis-spectrum disorder took significantly longer to complete the task relative to controls (χ²(2, N=244)=7.06, p=0.03, ϕ=0.17). As pegboard performance is thought to tap both diffuse and specific brain networks, findings suggest that pegboard tests may be useful premorbid measures of motor functioning among those on a trajectory towards a psychosis-spectrum disorder.

Perceptual and Motor Impairment within 2 Weeks after a Stroke: A Multifactorial Statistical Approach

Visual perceptual performance (12 items) and motor behavior were assessed in 109 patients within 2 weeks poststroke and were related to self-care activities of daily living (ADL) proficiency. A cluster analysis revealed that scores for motor behavior and self-care ADL were closely associated whereas visual-perception items could be separated into two groups One of these incorporated relatively meaningless (Low-Order Perception [L-OP]) and the other relatively meaningful (High-Order Perception [H-OP]) stimuli. When the disability parameter, ADL, was excluded factor analyses identified three orthogonal factors—motor behavior, H-OP, and L-OP—which were similar to those of the cluster analysis and explained about 75% of the variance. Standardized factor scores were sizable predictors for self-care ADL-score for motor behavior and H-OP, but not for L-OP. The present findings of grouping of visual perception into two factors are contradictory to espoused categorizations and may shed new light on occupational therapy research, functional diagnosis, and the treatment of stroke patients.

A comparison of the standard category test with a new computer version

The Halstead Category Test is a popular measure of abstraction, concept formation, and logical analysis skills. Due to its large apparatus, however, ease of administration of the standard Category Test is limited. For this reason, a number of computer versions of the Category Test have been developed to facilitate its administration. The current study evaluated the equivalence of a new computer version to the standard Category Test in a sample of undergraduate students. Analyses revealed that the two versions did not differ significantly on subtest error scores, total error scores, or Neuropsychological Deficit Scale scores. Results of the current study support the equivalence of this new computer version to the standard version of the Category Test.

Factor structure of the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological battery: a review and integration

The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRNB) was the first factor-analyzed neuropsychological battery. It was based on a series of tests studied in Ward Halstead's laboratory at the University of Chicago, was accomplished in collaboration with a group of eminent statisticians, and was published in 1947 . Four factors were extracted based on Halstead's tests called central integrative field, abstraction, power, and directional and constituted what was described as biological intelligence. Since this original analysis, Reitan's additions to the battery, and the proposal of Reitan and Wolfson's model of neuropsychological functioning, this factor-analytic research continued. This article reviews factor-analytic research concluding that Halstead's analysis has held up reasonably well and there is support for the Reitan and Wolfson model. However, Reitan's revisions of the battery added tests that form a distinct language factor and the sensory-perceptual tests that generally form a separate factor. Other tests and scoring methods used in individual studies modified the core battery and produced somewhat differing solutions. The complexity of the tests prevents the HRNB from being a factorially pure battery, and simple structure is rarely, if ever, reached. Current versions of the HRNB appear to evaluate both "biological" and "psychometric" intelligence, which appear to load on separate factors.

Factor structure of the Reitan-Indiana Neuropsychological Battery for Children

The Reitan-Indiana Neuropsychological Battery (RINB) was administered to a sample of children referred for educational and behavioral problems (N = 130). Subtest scores were standardized by age at 1-year intervals (6, 7, and 8 years). A principal components analysis (PCA) with promax rotation of 18 subtest scores produced a five-factor solution. Factor 1 emphasizes tactile/spatial functions, Factor 2 emphasizes concept formation and visual/spatial abilities, Factor 3 reflects motor strength, Factor 4 emphasizes sensory perception, and Factor 5 reflects motor speed. Principal factor analysis (PFA) of these data was performed to permit comparison with the PCA solutions. The PFA and PCA solutions were similar and major conclusions about factor structure were consistent.

Standardized and flexible batteries in neuropsychology: an assessment update

This article summarizes current literature relevant to commonly used tests and test batteries in clinical neuropsychology. The first section contains a discussion of the philosophy and relative advantages of standardized and flexible battery approaches in neuropsychology. The second contains historical background and a literature review of the two major standardized test batteries: the Halstead-Reitan and Luria-Nebraska. The third section includes reviews of tests that are frequently used in the flexible battery approach. Various tests of intellectual functioning, attention, memory, language, and spatial analyses are critiqued in this section. Contributions of the process approach are noted. The article ends by underscoring the need for continued research into the nature of neuropsychological measures and the abilities they assess.

Discriminant validity of lateral sensorimotor tests in children

The discriminant validity of left- (LH) and right-hand (RH) sensorimotor measures from a comprehensive neuropsychological battery was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. A group of children (primarily learning disabled) was divided into analysis (n = 488) and cross-validation (n = 400) samples and the following measures were taken for both the LH and the RH Tactile Perception, Finger Agnosia, Fingertip Number Writing, Tactile Form Recognition, Finger Tapping, Grip Strength, Grooved Pegboard, and Mazes. RH- and LH scores from these tests, and scores from five WISC subtests (Information, Similarities, Vocabulary, Block Design, and Object Assembly) were analyzed in a series of four nested confirmatory factor models. Models distinguished between LH and RH skill factors, and/or between simple- and complex-skill factors. Models were compared using incremental fit ratios and chi 2 difference tests (Bentler & Bonnett, 1980). Model comparisons revealed little evidence for discriminant validity of LH and RH measures, but strong support for distinctions between measures of simple- and complex-skills. These findings were replicated in the cross-validation sample.

A multifactor model of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and its relationship to cognitive status and psychiatric diagnosis

An oblique, five-factor model of a modified Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery is presented. One hundred fifty-one neuropsychiatric inpatients (94 men, 57 women) were examined on 44 neuropsychological indices. Five correlated dimensions (r = .25), viz., Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Sensory-attention, Primary Motor, and Tactile-spatial abilities, were identified by maximum likelihood factor analyses of this correlation matrix. These findings are quite similar to those reported earlier by Fowler, Richards, Berent, and Boll (1985, 1987) and Royce, Yeudall, and Bock (1976). The factors may be broadly categorized using the distinction made by Lezak (1983) for verbal, nonverbal, and mental activity variables. MANOVAs revealed systematic relationships between simple-weighted factor scores and: (1) the overall level of cognitive functioning (p less than .01), as well as (2) psychiatric diagnosis (p less than .01). Implications of these findings for understanding the impact of neuropsychiatric disorders on the structure of abilities for such patients are developed.

Purdue Pegboard: test-retest estimates

26 normal, self-reported dextral subjects (12 men, 14 women) were assessed with a Purdue Pegboard 5 times at weekly intervals to evaluate temporal stability and efficacy of lateralization with this test. There was a statistically significant increase in performance over time for men on the right- and left-hand placing subtests and for women on the assemblies subtest. For men/women the test-retest reliability over the 5 sessions averaged .63/.76 for the right-hand, .64/.79 for the left-hand, .67/.81 for both-hands, .81/.83 for assemblies, and .33/.22 for the right/left-hand ratio.

Normative data for the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological tests stratified by age and sex

Normative data, stratified by age and sex, are presented for the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological tests: Name Writing, Speech-Sounds Perception, Trail Making, Halstead Category, Finger Tapping, Dynamometer, Tactual Performance, Seashore Rhythm, Tactile Form Recognition, Finger-Tip Number Writing Perception, Face-Hand, and Finger Localization. Correlations of the test variables with age, education, and WAIS-R Verbal and Performance IQ are reported. The normative sample consisted of 225 adults (127 males, 98 females) 15 to 40 years of age. The subjects who were included did not report any history of forensic involvement, head injury, neurological insult, prenatal or birth complication, psychiatric problems, or substance abuse.

Confirmatory factor analysis of four general neuropsychological models with a modified Halstead-Reitan battery

Four theoretical factor models for a modified Halstead-Reitan battery were formulated, drawing from previous work by Swiercinsky, Royce and co-workers, Christensen and Luria, and Lezak. The relative explanatory power of these four models for this particular battery in an adult neuropsychiatric population was examined using confirmatory factor analysis. None of the models was shown to fit adequately in an absolute sense, but three of them represented substantial, statistically reliable improvements over a null model of mutual independence, and a clear pattern of relative fit was observed. Further improvements were achieved by modifying the best fitting initial model in several ways. A cross-validation with an independent sample supported the results of the model development step. Tentative theoretical and clinical implications for the overall organization of the neuropsychological abilities measured by this battery were drawn, and recommendations were made for further application of this method in neuropsychological research.

Factorial pattern description and comparison of functional abilities in neuropsychological assessment

A principal factor analysis of 36 neuropsychological test variables yielded eight readily definable factors. These factors represent the kinds of general functions evaluated in the assessment of organic brain damage. The functional categorical scheme produced by the factor analysis was compared with other empirical and theoretical schemes. Shortcomings of the traditional neuropsychological battery were discussed in terms of the factors.

Linear discriminant function analysis in neuropsychological research: some uses and abuses

The present paper addressed the continued misinterpretation and misapplication of linear discriminant function analysis in neuropsychological research. Methodological problems concerning the influence of shrinkage and stepwise selection procedures on LDFA are virtually ignored and affect both the classification and inferential application of LDFA. Throughout the paper examples of potential abuses of LDFA were cited and data from a familiar research problem was employed to demonstrate procedures which enable more accurate interpretation of LDFA results. Linear discriminant function analysis and its multivariate equivalents are powerful and flexible tools for exploring group differences provided appropriate applications and interpretations of results are made.