TY - JOUR
T1 - An Investigation of the Measurement Properties of the Spot-the-Word Test in a Community Sample
AU - Mackinnon, Andrew
AU - Christensen, Helen
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - Intellectual ability is assessed with the Spot-the-Word (STW) test (A. Baddeley, H. Emslie, & I. Nimmo Smith, 1993) by asking respondents to identify a word in a word-nonword item pair. Results in moderate-sized samples suggest this ability is resistant to decline due to dementia. The authors used a 3-parameter item response theory model to investigate the measurement properties of the STW in a large community-dwelling sample (n = 2,480) 60 to 64 years of age. A number of poorly performing items were identified. Substantial guessing was present; however, the number of words correctly identified was found to be an accurate index of ability. Performance was moderately related to a number of tests of cognitive performance and was effectively unrelated to visual acuity and to physical or mental health status. The STW is a promising test of ability that, in the future, may be refined by the deletion or replacement of poorly functioning items.
AB - Intellectual ability is assessed with the Spot-the-Word (STW) test (A. Baddeley, H. Emslie, & I. Nimmo Smith, 1993) by asking respondents to identify a word in a word-nonword item pair. Results in moderate-sized samples suggest this ability is resistant to decline due to dementia. The authors used a 3-parameter item response theory model to investigate the measurement properties of the STW in a large community-dwelling sample (n = 2,480) 60 to 64 years of age. A number of poorly performing items were identified. Substantial guessing was present; however, the number of words correctly identified was found to be an accurate index of ability. Performance was moderately related to a number of tests of cognitive performance and was effectively unrelated to visual acuity and to physical or mental health status. The STW is a promising test of ability that, in the future, may be refined by the deletion or replacement of poorly functioning items.
KW - dementia
KW - guessing
KW - item and test information
KW - item response theory
KW - premorbid intelligence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=38349135425&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/1040-3590.19.4.459
DO - 10.1037/1040-3590.19.4.459
M3 - Article
SN - 1040-3590
VL - 19
SP - 459
EP - 468
JO - Psychological Assessment
JF - Psychological Assessment
IS - 4
ER -