Feasibility and Psychometric Integrity of Mobile Phone-Based Intensive Measurement of Cognition in Older Adults

Exp Aging Res. 2021 Jul-Sep;47(4):303-321. doi: 10.1080/0361073X.2021.1894072. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Abstract

Background:There is a pressing need for assessment approaches that can be deployed remotely to measure cognitive outcomes in clinical trials and longitudinal aging cohorts. We evaluated the utility of a mobile phone-based intensive measurement study for this purpose. Method:A small cohort of healthy older adults (N = 17, mean age = 73) completed five assessment "bursts" over 12 months, with each measurement burst involving two assessments daily for five consecutive days. Each assessment included brief tests of visual short-term memory and information processing speed, as well as surveys measuring state factors that can affect cognition. Results:At study endpoint we had 94% retention, 97% compliance, and high participant satisfaction. Mobile cognitive test scores demonstrated good reliability, moderate correlations with in-person baseline neuropsychological testing, and significant associations with participant age and education level. Conclusions: Mobile phone-based intensive measurement designs represent a promising assessment approach for measuring cognition longitudinally in older adults.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aging*
  • Cell Phone*
  • Cognition
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Humans
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results