Validity and reliability of a computerized cognitive assessment tool ‘Higher Brain Functional Balancer’ for healthy elderly people

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to prove the validity and reliability of 9 of the 29 tasks on the new computerized assessment software, the Higher Brain Functional Balancer (HBFB).
Methods: A total of 70 apparently healthy elderly subjects (aged 63 to 86 y;27 males, 43 females)   participated in this prospective study.   The association between the MMSE and HBFB was tested by Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis;internal consistency of 9 tasks of the HBFB was checked by Cronbach’s coefficient alpha (Cronbach’s α), and test-retest reliability of each task was established using intra-class correlations (ICC).   For test-retest reliability, subjects were administered 9 tasks of the HBFB twice at a 1-month interval.   The test-retest HBFB quotient, data on age, length of education, and results of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)   were recorded.
Results: Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis showed that the state of cognitive function according to the total scores of the MMSE correlated significantly with the total quotients of the HBFB (r=0.356, p=0.002).   The 9 tasks of the HBFB had appropriate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.735).   Test-retest reliability analysis indicated that the “modified Trail Making Test”, “Flashing-Light Memory”, “Story” and “Route-99” tasks on the HBFB had fair-to-good reliability (ICC=0.364-0.742) ;however, reliability was poor with regard to scores of the other 5 tasks.
Conclusions:This study provides evidence for the validity of total quotients of all tasks for screening of total cognitive function and for the reliability of 4 of the 9 tasks from the HBFB with regard to cognitive function in elderly people.