The peabody picture vocabulary test as a pre-screening tool for global cognitive functioning in childhood brain tumor survivors

Abstract

Minimal acceptable global intelligence is often a determinant for entry into studies utilizing children's self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQL) or symptoms' appraisal. However, most measures of cognitive functioning are lengthy and require a trained psychologist for administration. We used the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (third edition; PPVT-III) to assess adequacy of verbal comprehension and language flexibility before entry into a pilot pharmacologic intervention trial in pediatric BT survivors who were >1year from treatment, and received >23.4 gray as part of therapy. Participation included the ability to complete self-reported measures of HRQL. Among thirteen BT survivors who were screened, twelve proceeded to the full intervention trial and then underwent a detailed baseline neurocognitive assessment including the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), administered by a neuropsychologist. Correlation of PPVT-III with WASI was 0.90 for full scale IQ (P<0.0001), 0.89 for verbal IQ (P=0.0001) and 0.75 for performance IQ (P=0.0004) The PPVT-III is easy to administer by trained clinical staff and is a reliable clinic-based screening tool for research studies. While it is not designed to replace in depth neuropsychological evaluation of potential areas of cognitive dysfunction, it provides an estimation of minimal global cognitive functioning for entry into studies that rely on self-report in childhood BT survivors and other cancer survivors who have received central nervous system-directed therapy.