Abstract
BackgroundCogState is a widely used computer-based cognitive test whose validity has not been addressed in resource poor settings. We examined the construct, concurrent and convergent validity of CogState, test–retest reliability and the effect of sociodemographic variables on CogState outcomes in school age children.MethodsTwo hundred and thirty Ugandan children (54% male) with mean age 6.99 years (SD = 1.67, range 5–13 years) were assessed using CogState, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (KABC-II) and the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) at baseline and 8 weeks later. Correlations were run between CogState and the KABC-II and TOVA to evaluate its concurrent and convergent validity. Factor analysis was used to evaluate construct validity of CogState. Correlations between baseline and 8 weeks CogState scores were used to determine the test–retest reliability while general linear models were used to assess associations with sociodemographic factors.ResultsSignificant correlations were observed between CogState’s One Card Learning, One Back Memory and Card Detection with the TOVA and between CogState’s Maze Chase and One Back Memory with KABC-II’s Simultaneous Processing. CogState had a three factor structure with Processing Speed, Processing Accuracy and Maze Chase and Maze Learning. CogState had low to moderate test–retest reliability in Ugandan children with correlations ranging from 0.32 to 0.57. Age, sex and education were associated with CogState outcomes.ConclusionsCogState is a valid and reliable test battery for rapid computer-based neurocognitive assessment in Ugandan children and can thus be used in this cultural context.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13034-015-0063-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
CogState is a widely used computer-based cognitive test whose validity has not been addressed in resource poor settings
Study participants Study children were aged 5–13 years and had been recruited into a computerised cognitive rehabilitation training study between 2011 and 2014 at Mulago Hospital, Kampala. This intervention study from which participants for the present study were drawn had three groups of children; children with a history of cerebral malaria (CM), a history of severe malarial anemia (SMA) and health community controls (CC) who had no history of severe malaria
Those who had a history of CM or SMA on average 33 months earlier and healthy community controls were recruited into the present study
Summary
CogState is a widely used computer-based cognitive test whose validity has not been addressed in resource poor settings. Interventions aimed at improving the developmental potential of at risk children have been evaluated by cognitive testing [4,5,6,7,8] Despite these important applications of cognitive tests, most of them take considerable time to administer, are often translated and adapted from Western-based tests relying heavily on language, need well trained assessors and cannot be administered in the CogState is a computer administered test that assesses a number of cognitive skills including reaction time, working memory, learning and attention [10]. Test scores are computer generated reducing the risk of human error in administration and scoring and allowing for more exact timing of response speed It has the advantages of being portable (adaptable to notebooks, tablets, and even smart phones), short (20–30 min), game-like. It has proved to be valid and reliable in healthy children and among patients with schizophrenia, HIV/ AIDS and mild traumatic brain injury [14, 15]
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