This document discusses psychometric assessment of cognitive functions. It introduces various cognitive skills like processing speed, memory, problem solving. Neuropsychological testing measures cognitive impairment through tests of intellectual functioning, academic achievement, language, attention, memory, executive function, processing speed and more. Testing is used to identify developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and effects of conditions like brain injury, dementia, infections and mental illness. The conclusion emphasizes the importance for nurses to understand cognitive assessment tests to provide better care for patients.

1. PSYCHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF
COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS
Prepared by
Mrs. Akila. A, M.Sc(N),M.Sc (PSY)
Associate Professor

2. INTRODUCTION
Cognition refers to the mental
processes dealing with acquiring,
processing and storing information.
Cognitive skills include various kind of
abilities like auditory and visual
processing, staying focused on a given
task, processing speed, recalling
information, making associations, problem
solving.

3. • Neuropsychological testing is a procedure that
measures and identifies cognitive impairment
and functioning in individuals.
• Neuropsychological testing provides
diagnostic clarification and grading of clinical
severity for patients with subtle or obvious
cognitive disorders.
• These include:
- Children who are not achieving appropriate
developmental milestones.

4. - Infants exposed to drugs, alcohol or illness in
uterus.
- Patients with head injury
- Patients with Parkinsons disease or other
neurological disorders.
- Patients exposed to chemicals or toxins
- Substance abusing patients.
- Stroke Victims
- Patients with dementia

5. Tests used for Cognitive
Processes assessment
• Intellectual functioning:
- Wechsler Scales
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale –
Revised(WAIS-R)
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III(WAIS-III)
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale for
Children-IV (WISC-IV)
- Standford – Binet Intelligence Scale

6. • Academic achievement:
- Weschler individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
- Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test
• Language Processing:
- Multilingual Aphasia Examination
- Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination
- Token test
• Visuo-Spatial Processing
- WAIS Block design subtest
- Judgement of Line Orientation
- Hooper visual Organisation test

7. • Attention/ Concentration:
- Digit span Forward and Reversed
- Cancellation Tests(Letter and symbol)
- Mini mental status examination
• Verbal learning and memory:
- Visual Reproduction I and II
- Non-verbal Selective Reminding Test
- Continuous Recognition Memory Test
- Visual-Motor Integration test-Block Design

8. • Executive functions:
- Wisconsin Card sorting Test
- WAIS Subtests of Similarities and Block
design
• Speed of Processing:
- Simple and Choice Reaction Time
- Symbol Digit Modalities Test- written and oral
• Sensory- Perceptual functions:
- Halstead –Reltan Neuropsychological Battery
- Actual Performance Test and Sensory
Perceptual Examination

9. • Motor Speed and strength:
- Index Finger Tapping
• Motivation:
- Rey 15 item Test
- Dot counting
- Forced- Choice Symptom Validity testing
• Personality assessment:
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
- Rorschach ink blot test
- Thematic Apperception Test for Children or
Adults

10. USES OF PSYCHOMETRIC
ASSESSMENT
• It helps for early identification of
developmental delays.
• It helps to detect intellectual disabilities.
• It can be used for patients with brain injury
or damage to know about the
Neuropsychological status.
• In clinical setting, it is used to assess the
level of depression.

11. • It is useful for elderly who have a memory
related problems and helps to distinguish
dementia from age related memory loss.
• It is used to understand the strengths and
weakness of children who have learning
difficulties.

12. ALTERATIONS IN COGNITIVE
FUNCTIONING
• Delirium:
-Acute organic brain syndrome.
- Generally associated with any illness or
medications, which may be irreversible.
-Common features include:
. Disorganised thinking and altered thinking
. Altered levels of consciousness and
attention problems.

13. • Dementia:
- Characterised by many cognitive deficits
especially in memory.
- This is progressive deterioration.
-Memory lapses and word finding difficulties
are common in early stages, leads to
confusion, mood swings and irritability.
• Amnestic disorders:
- This disorders are isolated disturbance of
memory without impairment of other cognitive
functions. They may be due to general
medical conditions like trauma, hypoxia or
due to substance abuse.

14. • Brain disorders:
- Brain injury
- Stroke
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease
In the above mentioned diseases, patients
may have impaired cognition.

15. • Illness:
- Thyroid disease
- Vitamin B12 deficiencies
- Upper Respiratory tract infections or
Pneumonia
• Infections :
- Bacterial and viral infections
• Mental Illness:
- Schizophrenia
- Affective disorders

16. CONCLUSION
• Nurses should update their knowledge
related to all the cognitive functions and
related assessment tests , thereby easily
we can approach the patients and provide
care to them.