Validation of the Middlesex Elderly Assessment of Mental State (MEAMS) as a cognitive screening test in patients with acquired brain injury in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
Assessment of cognitive impairment with a valid cognitive screening tool is essential in neurorehabilitation. The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Turkish-adapted version of the Middlesex Elderly Assessment of Mental State (MEAMS) among acquired brain injury patients in Turkey.


METHODS
Some 155 patients with acquired brain injury admitted for rehabilitation were assessed by the adapted version of MEAMS at admission and discharge. Reliability was tested by internal consistency, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and person separation index; internal construct validity by Rasch analysis; external construct validity by associations with physical and cognitive disability (FIM); and responsiveness by Effect Size.


RESULTS
Reliability was found to be good with Cronbach's alpha of 0.82 at both admission and discharge; and likewise an ICC of 0.80. Person separation index was 0.813. Internal construct validity was good by fit of the data to the Rasch model (mean item fit -0.178; SD 1.019). Items were substantially free of differential item functioning. External construct validity was confirmed by expected associations with physical and cognitive disability. Effect size was 0.42 compared with 0.22 for cognitive FIM.


CONCLUSIONS
The reliability and validity of the Turkish version of MEAMS as a cognitive impairment screening tool in acquired brain injury has been demonstrated.
Kutlay
Sehim
S
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Ankara, School of Medicine, Turkey. skutlay@medicine.ankara.edu.tr
Kuçukdeveci
Ayse A
AA
Elhan
Atilla H
AH
Yavuzer
Gunes
G
Tennant
Alan
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014421:Turkey