Validation of one-week reliable change methods in cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults

Objective: Reliable change methods can assist the determination of whether observed changes in performance are meaningful. The current study sought to validate previously published standardized regression-based (SRB) equations for commonly administered cognitive tests using a cognitively intact sample of older adults, and extend findings by including relevant demographic and test-related variables known to predict cognitive performance. Method: This study applied previously published SRB prediction equations to 107 cognitively intact older adults assessed twice over one week. Prediction equations were also updated by pooling the current validation sample with 93 cognitively intact participants from original development sample to create a combined development sample. Results: Significant improvements were seen between observed baseline and follow-up scores on most measures. However, few differences were seen between observed follow-up scores and those predicted from these SRB algorithms, and the level of practice effects observed based on these equations were consistent with expectations. When SRBs were re-calculated from this combined development sample, predicted follow-up scores were mostly comparable with these equations, but standard errors of the estimate were consistently smaller. Conclusions: These results help support the validity of of these SRB equations to predict cognitive performance on these measures when repeated administration is necessary over short intervals. Findings also highlight the utility of expanding SRB models when predicting follow-up performance serially to provide more accurate assessment of reliable change at the level of the individual. As short-term practice effects are shown to predict cognitive performance annually, they possess the potential to inform clinical decision-making about individuals along the Alzheimer’s continuum.