The DDQ-30, a new naming-from-definition test: Normative data for the adult French-Quebec population and validation study in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Assessing naming abilities is a standard clinical procedure for adults and is usually carried out using picture naming tests. However, the use of picture naming tests can have limitations, as people may have visual impairments that can affect the validity of the measurement. This article introduces the DDQ-30, a new naming-from-definition test for detecting anomia in people with visual-perceptual limitations. The article describes three studies. Study 1 focused on the developmental phase of the DDQ-30. In Study 2, healthy participants and individuals with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease were assessed with the DDQ-30 to determine its predictive validity. Study 3 examined a group of adults and older French-speaking Quebecers to obtain normative data. The DDQ-30 effectively differentiated between AD and healthy participants. In addition, normative data were collected on 251 participants aged 50 years and older. Analyses showed that age and educational level were significantly related to performance on the DDQ-30. The DDQ-30 fills an important gap and promises to help clinicians and researchers better detect anomia in people with visual impairment.