Twenty years after Spinnler and Tognoni: new instruments in the Italian neuropsychologist's toolbox.
The aim of this article is to review neuropsychological normative studies which - after Spinnler and Tognoni's monograph of 1987 - were done on healthy Italian adult subjects, and which either wholly or partially used the Equivalent Scores (ES) methodology proposed by Capitani et al. The independent norms settled for the same tests have been compared in order to point out their agreement, measured by Cohen's Kappa, which in most cases resulted either excellent or good (>0.7). Available tests have been classified and arranged to facilitate the most suitable choice for different clinical purposes. Moreover, a simple software program has been set up which adjusts and transforms raw scores into ES. As well as saving time and avoiding errors, this simple aid is likely to improve the quality and clarity of the communication of neuropsychological results.
Bianchi
Angelo
A
Department of Mental Health, Arezzo, Italy. an.bianchi@usl8.toscana.it
Dai Prà
Mirko
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D055815:Young Adult