Reliability and Factor Structure of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Examination

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Compared to its alternatives (e.g., Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] and Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]), little is known about the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Examination. The purpose of the current study is to describe the internal consistency, factor structure, and temporal stability of the SLUMS, a widely used cognitive screening measure.

Methods

We examined the SLUMS of 108 mostly White male Veterans seen for home-based primary care services, 101 of whom had complete data and 28 who completed retesting approximately one year later.

Results

At time one, Veterans averaged 76.44 (SD = 9.88) years of age and 13.07 (SD = 2.26) years of formal education. Results indicated that the SLUMS had acceptable internal consistency (α = .709) and temporal stability (ρ =.723), with strongest evidence for a one-factor structure.

Conclusions

The SLUMS appears to have adequate reliability and clear one-factor structure in this sample. Additional research with diverse samples is needed to characterize the psychometrics of the SLUMS more comprehensively.

Clinical Implications

The SLUMS appears to be an efficient method for approximating global cognitive functioning among medically complex older adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination
• cognitive screening
• psychometrics of tests

Clinical implications

• The SLUMS is best interpreted as a single score and not according to individual items.

• Although clinicians should continue to use the SLUMS with caution, it is a brief and feasible cognitive screener to administer as part time-limited medical appointment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, RS. The data are not publicly available due to containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the LTC Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI. The contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.