Efeito de Idade e Escolaridade no Instrumento de Avaliação Neuropsicológica Breve NEUPSILIN

Evidence of validity based on the relation to other variables and inter-rater reliability of the Cognitive Screening (TRIACOG) for adults with cerebrovascular diseases

This study presents evidence of validity and reliability of the results obtained with the Cognitive Screening (TRIACOG) to evaluate post-stroke adults. The TRIACOG assesses orientation memory, language, arithmetic, praxis, information processing speed, and executive functions. A total of 126 post-stroke adults (M = 63.50; SD = 13.28 years old) and 126 neurologically healthy adults (M = 61.97; SD = 11.48 years old) participated in the study. Performance on the TRIACOG was positively correlated with scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B), schooling, and reading and writing habits, and negatively correlated with the NIHSS and Rankin scales. Post-stroke adults scored lower and took longer to complete the instrument than neurologically healthy adults. Inter-rater agreement was achieved in scoring the TRIACOG. The TRIACOG presents evidence of validity based on its relationships to other variables (criterion and convergent) and on response processes, in addition to presenting reliability evidence established by inter-rater agreement. We expect that the TRIACOG will be employed by health workers in hospital settings, health units, and medical offices.

Associação entre fatores psicossociais e funcionais e desempenho de idosos em linguagem e fluência verbal

RESUMO Objetivo: identificar fatores psicossociais e funcionais associados ao desempenho de idosos em linguagem e fluência verbal. Métodos: estudo realizado com 149 idosos cadastrados no serviço de atenção primária à saúde de uma cidade do interior de São Paulo. Foram utilizados um questionário de caracterização sociodemográfica, Exame Cognitivo de Addenbrooke - Revisado (domínios de fluência verbal e de linguagem), Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, Escala de Estresse Percebido, Medical Outcomes Study, WHOQOL-OLD e Escala de Atividades Instrumentais da Vida Diária. Os participantes foram divididos em tercis de acordo com o desempenho em linguagem e fluência verbal: T1 = melhor desempenho, T2 = desempenho mediano e T3 = pior desempenho. Foram comparados os grupos T1 e T3 e realizada uma regressão binária para analisar os fatores associados ao melhor desempenho em linguagem e fluência verbal. Resultados: as variáveis associadas ao melhor desempenho de linguagem comparando T1 e T3 foram: maior escolaridade, maior renda e melhor funcionalidade. Para a melhor fluência verbal, os fatores associados foram: maior escolaridade e melhor funcionalidade. Conclusão: a escolaridade e a funcionalidade mostraram-se importantes fatores associados ao bom desempenho da linguagem e da fluência verbal, enquanto a renda mostrou-se associada apenas ao bom desempenho de linguagem.

Association between psychosocial and functional factors and language and verbal fluency performance in older adults

ABSTRACT Purpose: to identify psychosocial and functional factors associated with language and verbal fluency performance in older adults. Methods: a study conducted with 149 older adults registered in a primary health care service in a city in inland São Paulo. Instruments such as a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination-Revised (verbal fluency and language domains), Geriatric Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Medical Outcomes Study, WHOQOL-OLD, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, were used. Participants were divided into tertiles, according to their language and verbal fluency performance: T1 = best performance, T2 = median performance, and T3 = worst performance. Groups T1 and T3 were compared, and a binary regression was conducted to analyze the factors associated with the best language and verbal fluency performance. Results: higher educational attainment, higher income, and better functioning were the factors associated with the best language performance comparing T1 and T3, while higher educational attainment and better functioning were associated with the best verbal fluency. Conclusion: educational attainment and functioning proved to be important factors associated with good language and verbal fluency performance, while income was associated only with good language performance.

Which cognitive and linguistc factors influence phonological processing in adolescents?

PURPOSE

To characterize phonological processing of adolescents and to identify language skills and cognitive functions that influence their age group.

METHODS

83 typical adolescents aged from 11 to 16 years of age participated in the research. Phonological awareness tests, rapid automatic naming, neuropsychological assessment and reading were used. Descriptive analysis and linear regression were carried out with a 5% significance level.

RESULTS

Regarding phonological processing, a lower performance was found in the phonemic segmentation task, longer times for object naming and performance as were expected for working memory of the age range. There was a reciprocal association between rapid naming of objects, letters and working memory, between rapid naming of letters and phonological awareness. Executive functions and attention influence working memory and phonological awareness. Semantic episodic verbal memory influenced working memory and reading, phonological awareness.

CONCLUSION

The performance in phonological processing was influenced by linguistic and cognitive skills which suggests they are still improving in adolescents.