Title:
A comparison study of severe impairment measures: analysis of cognitive and non-cognitive factors
Author:
Amy S. Provan
Thesis Advisor:
David Powers
Committee Member:
David Loreck
Committee Member:
Jenny Lowry
Degree Granting Institution:
Loyola University Maryland--College of Arts and Sciences
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Loyola University Maryland
Date Created:
2004
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
reformatted digital
Abstract:
Severe impairment measures have been developed in order to assess change in function when conventional measures demonstrate a floor effect. The validity of two measures of severe impairment was assessed through the evaluation of cognitive and noncognitive factors. Forty-nine male veterans with advanced dementia were selected from a long-term care facility in order to examine severity of impairment at three month intervals over the course of nine months. Scores on the Test for Severe Impairment (TSI) and the Severe Impairment Rating Scale (SIRS) were examined in relation to the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Body Mass Index (BMI), and mortality. TSI scores demonstrated a floor effect around the same time that MMSE scores demonstrated a floor effect, while the SIRS continued to measure decline. The MMSE, TSI and SIRS were found to be significant predictors of mortality, yet none of the measures emerged as having significantly more predictive strength. No relation was found between BMI and severity of cognitive impairment. The SIRS appears to extend the ability to assess severe impairment beyond both the MMSE and the TSI. Further research is needed to examine the validity of severe impairment measures with samples of participants who are not able to achieve meaningful scores on conventional measures.
Subject:
Dementia--Patients--Examinations
Subject:
Alzheimer's disease--Patients--Examinations
Subject:
Dementia--Mortality
Subject:
Body mass index
Subject:
Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Subject:
Test for Severe Impairment (TSI)
Subject:
Severe Impairment Rating Scale (SIRS)
Degree:
Doctor of Psychology
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Psychology
Restrictions on Access:
Author has not informed the Library of online preferences. This work is made available to the Loyola Notre Dame Library basic constituency.
Use and Reproduction:
The authors of theses and dissertations are the copyright owners. Loyola Notre Dame Library has their permission to store and provide access to these works. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Permission is required to use materials for which Loyola Notre Dame Library, Loyola University Maryland, or Notre Dame of Maryland University hold copyright. In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of gift of purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Identifier:
ProvanAS-04
