A Virtual Kitchen Protocol to Measure Everyday Memory Functioning for Meal Preparation.

Michael D Barnett,Thomas D Parsons,Lucas G Childers

doi:10.3390/brainsci11050571

Michael D Barnett, Thomas D Parsons + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050571

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Abstract

In this study, we developed the Virtual Kitchen Protocol (VKP), a virtual reality-based measure of everyday memory functioning for meal preparation tasks. We investigated the construct validity of the VKP by comparing the performance of young adults (n = 41) and older adults without (n = 52) and with (n = 7) a neurocognitive diagnosis, as well as by examining correlations with standardized measures of verbal and visual memory. The results show that young adults had higher recall than older adults and that the VKP was sensitive to neurocognitive impairment among older adults. The VKP demonstrated moderate to high correlations with other memory tests. These results support the construct validity of the VKP and suggest that it holds promise as a virtual reality-based measure of memory for meal preparation tasks.

Highlights

The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct validity of the Virtual Kitchen Protocol (VKP) by investigating correlations with the California Verbal Learning Test–II (CVLT-II) and Wechsler Memory Scale–IV Visual Reproduction (WMS-IV VR) among young adults and older adults with and without a neurocognitive diagnosis
The Virtual Kitchen Protocol (VKP) variables demonstrated negative skew that was not improved through linear transformation; we used the raw scores in all analyses
The results of this study provide initial support for the construct validity of the VKP as a measure of everyday memory in the area of meal preparation

Summary

Introduction

Traditional neuropsychological tests use abstract experimentally derived theoretical constructs to uncover the behavioral consequences of brain damage [1,2] While such tests have been successful, they may offer limited insight into individuals’ everyday functioning [3,4]. Function-led tests of everyday abilities [5] using novel simulations offer a means of measuring everyday abilities by simulating tasks within standardized environments [6,7,8,9] These high dimensional (didactive, integrative, and multi-dimensional) approaches place patients in realistic environments that may increase the ecological validity of testing and practice of daily life skills [10]. In order to do so, we developed the Virtual Kitchen Protocol and investigated its construct validity

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