A preliminary validity study of the cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery for the assessment of executive function in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Although the executive function subtests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) have been used to assess cognitive function in diverse psychiatric illnesses, few studies have verified the validity of this battery for Korean psychiatric patients. Therefore, this preliminary study evaluated the construct and concurrent validity of the executive function subtests of the CANTAB for Korean psychiatric patients by comparing it with subtests of the Computerized Neuropsychological Test (CNT).


METHODS
Three subtests of the CANTAB and three subtests of the CNT were administered to 36 patients diagnosed with either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Subtests of the CANTAB included the Intra/Extra-Dimensional Set Shift (IED), Stockings of Cambridge (SOC), and Spatial Working Memory (SWM). Differences between groups on each subtest as well as correlations between the subtests of the CANTAB and the CNT were assessed.


RESULTS
The schizophrenia group performed significantly more poorly on the IED and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) compared with the bipolar disorder group. Additionally, correlation analyses revealed a significant correlation between the IED and the WCST; a positive correlation between the SOC and the Trail Making Test, Part B and the Stroop test; and a significant correlation between the SWM and the Stroop test.


CONCLUSIONS
This study verified the construct and concurrent validity of the executive function subtests of the CANTAB for Korean psychiatric patients and suggests that the subtests of this battery would be useful and appropriate for assessing deficits in executive function in Korean clinical settings.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hee Sun
HS
Kim
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ; Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yong Min
YM
An
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ; Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jun Soo
JS
Kwon
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ; Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Min-Sup
MS
Shin
Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB); Computerized neuropsychological test; Executive function; Validity