Seashore Rhythm Test Research Articles

A-195 Emotional Factors in Performance on Halstead-Reitan/Halstead-Russell Neuropsychological Tests

Abstract Objective Evaluate the relation between depression and performance on eight widely used tests: Revised Category Test, Trail Making Test, Part B Tactual Performance Test, TPT Memory, TPT Location, Aphasia Screening Test, Seashore Rhythm Test and Speech Perception Test. Method Participants: 116 women, 71 men referred for comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation in an outpatient memory disorders clinic as part of a broader neurodiagnostic workup for memory complaints and cognitive decline. Referral sources: neurologists (78%), primary care physicians (21%). Patients’ mean age: 59.0 (SD =13.8); education: 14.9 (SD = 2.6) years. They were screened from a larger sample (N = 214) for brain disorder or positive neurodiagnostic findings. All participants satisfied performance and symptom validity criteria. Diagnostically, 62% had mood disorders. Based on Scale D scores, 65 middle-range scorers were excluded and 122 patients were classified into High and Low Depressive Symptom groups (ns = 61). The two groups were no different on age, education, Average Impairment Rating or predicted level of intelligence (Test of Premorbid Function). Results On all eight of the neuropsychological tests, scores were compared across the two groups. There was no main effect (MANOVA) for group, F(8,98) = 1.56, p = .147. Univariate comparisons revealed a trend on TPT Location but no statistically significant effects of depression severity on any of these tests. Conclusion Results suggest that severity of depressive symptoms is unrelated to performance on these neuropsychological tests. In cooperative examinees, these tests are valid for assessing brain-based abilities independent of depressive symptom severity.

Depressive symptoms as a factor in neuropsychological test performance: MMPI-2 and selected tests of the Halstead-Reitan/Halstead-Russell Battery

The potential impact of depressive symptoms on neuropsychological test performance has been studied extensively yielding mixed results. Self-report depression inventories have been most often used, without a means to screen participants for response bias. Studies have also neglected to screen participants for incomplete effort in testing. In the present study, 48% of an initial sample of outpatient referrals (N = 247) failed to meet traditional validity criteria. The remaining participants were screened for cerebral pathology and then classified into high and low depressive symptom groups (ns = 46) using the median score on Scale D (Depression) of the MMPI-2. The “high depression” subjects scored over 70 T on the D scale (MN = 80 T). The “low depression” subjects scored below 65 T (MN = 58 T). Age, education, and estimated intelligence were equivalent across groups. Neuropsychological test performances were compared across eight tests: Revised Category Test, Trail Making Test, Part B, Tactual Performance Test (TPT), TPT Memory and Location, Reitan-Indiana Aphasia Screening Test, Seashore Rhythm Test, and the Speech Perception Test. A MANOVA revealed no main effect for group., F(8,69) = 1.05, n.s., and univariate analyses for each test also showed no intergroup differences. The results provide evidence that these neuropsychological tests are appropriately interpreted within a framework of brain-behavior relationships irrespective of an examinee’s emotional status.

Criterion Groups Validation of The Seashore Rhythm Test and Speech Sounds Perception Test For The Detection of Malingering in Traumatic Brain Injury

A criterion-groups validation was used to determine the classification accuracy of the Seashore Rhythm Test (SRT) and Speech Sounds Perception Test (SSPT) in detecting malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MND) in traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI patients were classified into the following groups: (1) Mild TBI Not-MND (n = 24); (2) Mild TBI MND (n = 27); and (3) Moderate/Severe TBI Not-MND (n = 23). A sample of 90 general clinical patients was utilized for comparison. Results showed that both SRT correct and SSPT errors differentiated malingerers from non-malingerers in the Mild TBI sample. At 96% specificity, sensitivities were 37% for SRT correct and 59% for SSPT errors. Joint classification accuracy showed that the best accuracy was achieved when using a cut-off associated with a 4% false positive error rate in the Mild TBI sample. Specificity was considerably lower in the Moderate/Severe TBI and General Clinical groups. The clinical application of these findings is discussed.

Detecting Insufficient Effort Using the Seashore Rhythm and Speech-Sounds Perception Tests in Head Injury

This study examined the capacity of the Seashore Rhythm Test (SRT) and the Speech-Sounds Perception Test (SSPT) to detect insufficient effort in a clinical sample. Forty-six participants with financially compensable mild head injury who obtained scores indicative of insufficient effort on multiple measures were compared to 49 participants with brain injury who were not involved in litigation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that both the SRT (AUC = .84) and SSPT (AUC = .80) were significant (p < .001) predictors of insufficient effort. Maximizing sensitivity and specificity, the optimal cutoff scores were 8 errors on the SRT and 10 errors on the SSPT. Combining both variables into a logistic regression function increased the diagnostic efficiency.

Effects of Test Order and Modality on Sustained Attention in Children With Epilepsy

Neurological conditions affect sustained attention, but the effects of modality and interactions with test order have not been examined. In a 2 × 2 (Order × Modality) design using 54 children with chronic epilepsy, performance was compared on an auditory measure (modified Seashore Rhythm Test) versus a visual measure of attention (modified Conners’ Continuous Performance Test). Auditory scores were worse than visual, F(1, 52) = 98.93, p<.001, but there was no order effect or interaction (p>.05). Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.

Effects of Test Order and Modality on Sustained Attention in Children With Epilepsy

Neurological conditions affect sustained attention, but the effects of modality and interactions with test order have not been examined. In a 2 × 2 (Order × Modality) design using 54 children with chronic epilepsy, performance was compared on an auditory measure (modified Seashore Rhythm Test) versus a visual measure of attention (modified Conners’ Continuous Performance Test). Auditory scores were worse than visual, F(1, 52) = 98.93, p .05). Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed.

Fear activation and distraction during the emotional processing of claustrophobic fear

We tested several hypotheses derived from the emotional processing theory of fear reduction by manipulating claustrophobic participants’ focus of attention during in vivo exposure. Sixty participants displaying marked claustrophobic fear were randomized to one of four exposure conditions. Each participant received a total of 30-min of self-guided exposure 2-weeks after pretreatment testing. One group attended to threatening words and images during exposure (TW) and was compared to a control group that attended to neutral words and images (NW). A third group performed a demanding cognitive load task—a modified Seashore Rhythm Test during exposure (SR) and was compared to an exposure only (EO) control group. Contrary to prediction, the threat word manipulation was not associated with lower levels of fear following treatment. Consistent with prediction, the distraction manipulation resulted in less fear reduction at post-treatment. Treatment process analyses revealed that the negative effects of distraction on treatment outcome manifested early as slower between-trial habituation. These results and their relevance to emotional processing theory are discussed.

Impact of Musical Experience on the Seashore Rhythm Test

The Seashore Rhythm Test (SRT) is sensitive to musical talent. The possibility that this reduces its clinical sensitivity in cognitively impaired persons with musical experience was investigated. Subjects were 101 referrals to the neuropsychology service of a large medical center. The results indicate that patients with a substantial amount of musical experience tend to perform normally on the SRT, even when overall performance on a neuropsychological test battery suggests cognitive impairment. This finding suggests caution in interpreting normal SRT results in those with a musical background.

Neuropsychological Test Scores, Academic Performance, and Developmental Disorders in Spanish-Speaking Children

Limited information is currently available about performance of Spanish-speaking children on different neuropsychological tests. This study was designed to (a) analyze the effects of age and sex on different neuropsychological test scores of a randomly selected sample of Spanish-speaking children, (b) analyze the value of neuropsychological test scores for predicting school performance, and (c) describe the neuropsychological profile of Spanish-speaking children with learning disabilities (LD). Two hundred ninety (141 boys, 149 girls) 6- to 11-year-old children were selected from a school in Bogota, Colombia. Three age groups were distinguished: 6- to 7-, 8- to 9-, and 10- to 11-year-olds. Performance was measured utilizing the following neuropsychological tests: Seashore Rhythm Test, Finger Tapping Test (FTT), Grooved Pegboard Test, Children's Category Test (CCT), California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C), Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), and Bateria Woodcock Psicoeducativa en Espanol (Woodcock, 1982). Normative scores were calculated. Age effect was significant for most of the test scores. A significant sex effect was observed for 3 test scores. Intercorrelations were performed between neuropsychological test scores and academic areas (science, mathematics, Spanish, social studies, and music). In a post hoc analysis, children presenting very low scores on the reading, writing, and arithmetic achievement scales of the Woodcock battery were identified in the sample, and their neuropsychological test scores were compared with a matched normal group. Finally, a comparison was made between Colombian and American norms.

Internal consistency of three tests from the Halstead-Reitan neuropsychological battery for older children.

The internal consistency of three neuropsychological tests was examined in a sample of 334 referred children (9-14 years of age). Coefficient alpha was calculated to estimate reliability on the Seashore Rhythm Test (SRT), two forms of the Speech Sounds Perception Test (SSPT), and the Aphasia Screening Test (AST). The standard SSPT appears to have relatively good internal consistency with an average coefficient of.81. The average coefficient for the abbreviated form of the SSPT was considerably lower (i.e.,.73), highlighting the superiority of the standard form in clinical practice. Internal consistency of the SRT was relatively low (i.e.,. 67). This level of reliability may be acceptable in group research and for component tests, but is marginal for independent clinical use. Coefficient alpha for the AST was moderate (i.e.,.77), suggesting adequate reliability for a screening test. These reliability estimates are compared to those obtained in previous studies using these tests in adult samples and with other tests commonly used with children.

The WAIS-R Factors: Usefulness and Construct Validity in Neuropsychological Assessments

One-hundred and twelve patients were administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), an abbreviated Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, and the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. In order to replicate an earlier study (Sherman, Strauss, Spellacy, & Hunter, 1995), correlations were generated between the WAIS-R factor scores and neuropsychological and memory tests. The Verbal Comprehension factor (Factor 1) correlated with Speech Sounds Perception Test (SSPT), the Seashore Rhythm Test (SSRT), the Category Test, and memory indices. The Perceptual Organizational factor (Factor 2) correlated with the time, memory, and location scores of the Tactual Performance Test, the SSPT, SSRT, the Category Test, Trails A, Trails B, memory indices, and finger tapping. The Freedom From Distractibility factor (Factor 3) was correlated with the Category Test, the SSPT, the SSRT, Trails A, Trails B, immediate Logical Memory, and Visual Reproduction. Modest correlations suggest that the WAIS-R factors may be useful for understanding underlying cognitive performance and can be functional for generating hypotheses, but should not be utilized exclusively to make clinical inferences.

Psychometric structure of the seashore rhythm test

An item-analytic and internal consistency reliability study of the Seashore Rhythm Test was conducted on data from 617 subjects. The item analysis found that most of the test items are too easy and only about half are good discriminators. The total test score reliability was .7848. Because of the low reliability of the Series A, B, and C test scores, it is recommended that these series not be used individually. It was also found that too many subjects had scores no different from responding randomly to the test items. From a purely psychometric standpoint, the Seashore Rhythm test in not an example of a good test.

Neuropsychological functions in systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparison with chronic whiplash patients

A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests sampling a wide range of cognitive functions was administrated to 36 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and a control group consisting of 31 patients with persistent symptoms after whiplash injury. Our results demonstrated significant group differences and suggest that cognitive dysfunction is common in SLE and that there are significant abnormalities in the SLE group compared to chronic illness of non-immunological nature. Considerable variability occurred in the neuropsychological profiles for SLE patients. No significant association was found between cognitive dysfunction and use of corticosteroids, except for the two neuropsychological tests Digit span and Seashore rhythm test. Associations were not found between cognitive dysfunction and depression either, except for the Seashore rhythm test. These findings indicate that cognitive dysfunction in SLE reflects CNS involvement, rather than coexisting emotional disturbance. No significant cognitive impairment was found in the whiplash group. However, our results indicate depressed mood among the whiplash group.

Subject review with case study: Pseudotumour cerebri risk for cognitive impairment

Does increased intracranial pressure in patients with pseudotumour cerebri PTC result in cognitive impairments The results of previous investigations have not clarified this question It may be that there is a subgroup within those diagnosed with PTC that does experience cognitive decline with increased intracranial pressure However elevated intracranial pressure headache and emotional distress also can contribute to reduced cognitive performance and increased self monitoring As a result of the lack of clarity regarding the impact of PTC on cognition clinicians are left with no empirically derived practice guidelines A case study demonstrates subjective complaints of concentration and memory deficits in a depressed patient with PTC whose neuropsychological stores except Seashore Rhythm Test were in the normal range

Seashore rhythm test as validity indicators in the neuropsychological evaluation of mild head injury

Seashore rhythm test as validity indicators in the neuropsychological evaluation of mild head injury

Seashore rhythm test as validity indicators in the neuropsychological evaluation of mild head injury

Seashore rhythm test as validity indicators in the neuropsychological evaluation of mild head injury

Detecting feigned neuropsychological impairment with the Seashore Rhythm Test

Detecting feigned neuropsychological impairment with the Seashore Rhythm Test

The use of the Seashore Rhythm Test as a forced-choice measure to detect malingering in a compensation-seeking mildly head injured sample

The use of the Seashore Rhythm Test as a forced-choice measure to detect malingering in a compensation-seeking mildly head injured sample

Detecting feigned neuropsychological impairment with the Seashore Rhythm Test

Detecting feigned neuropsychological impairment with the Seashore Rhythm Test

The use of the Seashore Rhythm Test as a forced-choice measure to detect malingering in a compensation-seeking mildly head injured sample

Journal Article The use of the Seashore Rhythm Test as a forced-choice measure to detect malingering in a compensation-seeking mildly head injured sample Get access J. Spector, J. Spector Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar A.G. Lewandowski, A.G. Lewandowski Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar M.P. Kelly, M.P. Kelly Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar J.A. Kaylor J.A. Kaylor Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, Volume 10, Issue 4, 1995, Pages 392–393, https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/10.4.392a Published: 01 July 1995