Further concurrent validity data on the Westmead PTA Scale

Abstract

Further data supporting the concurrent validity of the Westmead PTA scale is presented. The initial concurrent validation data on the Westmead PTA Scale study was based on two separate groups of traumatic brain injury patients. In order to ensure that the results of that study were not due to sampling differences between the groups related to different degrees of recovery as a consequence of varying times since trauma, further investigation of the concurrent validity was undertaken using a group of patients as their own controls, tested once while in post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) and again shortly after emerging from PTA. Thirty patients with severe traumatic brain injuries, who were still experiencing PTA as defined by their Westmead PTA Scale performance, were assessed on an independent test of verbal learning ability. Once out of PTA, as defined by their performance on the Westmead PTA Scale they were retested on a parallel form of the test of verbal learning. Their performance on the two occasions differed significantly providing further concurrent validation of the Westmead PTA Scale.