Improving the Memory Sections of the Standardized Assessment of Concussion Using Item Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to improve the immediate and delayed memory sections of the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) by identifying a list of more psychometrically sound items (words). A total of 200 participants with no history of concussion in the previous six months (aged 19.60 ± 2.20 years; N = 93 men, N = 107 women) volunteered to participate in this study. An observation research design was used. Participants were tested once with a verbal interview that took approximately five minutes to complete. Classic item analysis including three parts: (1) Item difficulty, (2) item discrimination, and (3) item determination was used to assess the psychometric properties of the new items on the alternative word list for the SAC test. Overall, 80.0% of the items in the immediate memory section were acceptable. In the delayed memory section, 90.0% of the items were acceptable. The mean total SAC scores were 17.96 ± 2.45 (of a possible 30). The majority of new items have acceptable psychometric properties that would improve the validity of baseline SAC score for the assessment of the effects from concussions.

Keywords:

• baseline testing
• psychometric properties
• individual-centered standards
• concussion

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Shannon David, James Farnsworth, Shannon Nickels, Melissa Bartholomew, and Kelly Poster who assisted in the data collection for this study. Special thanks go to Paula McElhiney for helping create the word lists.