title: Validation of apathy evaluation scale and assessment of severity of apathy in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Apathy is a well-recognized symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of the present study was to validate the Taiwanese version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale, clinician version (AES-C) and assess the severity of apathy in patients with AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comprehensive evaluations were conducted in a total of 144 AD patients. This study used a cross-sectional comparative design. Data were collected from clinical interviews using the AES, the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Internal consistency was indicated by Cronbach's alphas of 0.85; test-retest reliability was 0.89 over a period of 3 days. Criterion-related validity was supported by the fact that AES-C significantly correlated with the apathy scores of the NPI. Factor analysis indicated a three-factor structure. Convergent validity was supported by a positive correlation between the AES-C score and the anxiety score of the NPI. Discriminant validity was supported by the fact that the AES-C scores did not correlate with the depression subscale of the NPI, and the correlation between the AES-C score and the euphoria score of the NPI score was negative. Known-group validity was supported by results showing that AD patients in a moderate stage of dementia (CDR = 2) had significantly higher scores on the AES-C than patients with mild-stage dementia (CDR = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AES-C is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring symptoms of apathy among AD patients in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Hsin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Joseph Jror-Serk
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Winston W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chia-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D057565:Apathy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan