title: The use of standardised short-term and working memory tests in aphasia research: a systematic review.
abstract: Impairments of short-term and working memory (STM, WM), both verbal and non-verbal, are ubiquitous in aphasia. Increasing interest in assessing STM and WM in aphasia research and clinical practice as well as a growing evidence base of STM/WM treatments for aphasia warrant an understanding of the range of standardised STM/WM measures that have been utilised in aphasia. To date, however, no previous systematic review has focused on aphasia. Accordingly, the goals of this systematic review were: (1) to identify standardised tests of STM and WM utilised in the aphasia literature, (2) to evaluate critically the psychometric strength of these tests, and (3) to appraise critically the quality of the investigations utilising these tests. Results revealed that a very limited number of standardised tests, in the verbal and non-verbal domains, had robust psychometric properties. Standardisation samples to elicit normative data were often small, and most measures exhibited poor validity and reliability properties. Studies using these tests inconsistently documented demographic and aphasia variables essential to interpreting STM/WM test outcomes. In light of these findings, recommendations are provided to foster, in the future, consistency across aphasia studies and confidence in STM/WM tests as assessment and treatment outcome measures.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences , Indiana University , Bloomington , IN , USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: b Speech & Language Sciences , Newcastle University , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salis
authors.affiliation: c Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders , Temple University , Philadelphia , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: d Department of Neurology , Brandenburgklinik , Bernau bei Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dralle
mesh_terms: D001037:Aphasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Short-term memory; aphasia; assessment; standardised tests; working memory