The clinical utility, reliability and validity of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test-Third Edition (RBMT-3) in Hong Kong older adults with or without cognitive impairments

• Published in: Neuropsychological rehabilitation Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 144 - 159
• Main Authors: Fong, K. N. K., Lee, K. K. L., Tsang, Z. P. Y., Wan, J. Y. H., Zhang, Y. Y., Lau, A. F. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 02.01.2019; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cognitive impairment; Cronbach's alpha; cut-off score; Dementia; Dementia disorders; everyday memory; Memory; Mild cognitive impairment; older adults; Older people; Reliability; Hong Kong China; China; everyday memory; older adults; dementia; Mild cognitive impairment; cut-off score
• ISSN: 0960-2011; 1464-0694
• DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2016.1272467

This study examined the use of the Hong Kong version of the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test-Third Edition (RBMT-3) for older adults, and by presenting the optimal cut-off scores for patients with cognitive impairments, and for a group of peers who have functional everyday cognition. Hundred older adults residing in community dwellings were recruited from three non-government organisations and completed the RBMT-3: 29 patients with mild to moderate dementia, 34 persons at risk for MCI, and 37 matched older adults with everyday functional cognition for a healthy control group (NC). The test has excellent inter-rater (ICC [2, 1] = 0.997), intra-rater (ICC [3, 1] = 0), and parallel version (ICC [3, 1] = 0.990) reliabilities, as well as satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.643-0.832). The scores of the MCI group were significantly lower than those of NC group in four subtests. The optimal cut-off scaled scores of ≤ 41.5, ≤ 102.5, and ≤ 131.5 are suggested for the RBMT-3 to discriminate between patients with mild and moderate dementia, mild dementia and MCI, and MCI and NC, with sensitivities 73%, 100% and 94.1%, respectively. This version is useful to differentiate those with or without risk of cognitive impairments.