The construct validity of a new screening measure of functional cognitive ability: The menu task

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the construct validity of the Menu Task (MT): a new performance-based screening measure of functional cognition. We enrolled 114 community dwelling adults (55 years or older) in the study: all participants completed the MT and four other neuropsychological screening measures. Construct validity was evaluated using a three-step hierarchical regression model with the MT as the dependent variable. Demographic control variables were entered at step 1, followed by the Brief Interview of Mental Status (BIMS), and the Trail Making Test A (TMT A) at step 2, and finally TMT B and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at step 3. It was hypothesised that measures sensitive to executive functioning (TMT B and MoCA) would significantly explain MT performance after controlling for demographic variables and adding measures of cognitive function to the model, providing additional evidence for construct validity of the MT. All three steps of the model were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Inclusion of measures sensitive to executive function in step 3 explained 30% of variability in MT score (adjusted R²= 0.30). Our findings provide further empirical support for the construct validity of the MT, and offer implications for the use of the MT in acute and post-acute care settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Functional cognition
• IADL
• Assessment
• Performance-based test

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge: Sarah Maloney MSOT, Victoria Larkin MSOT, Braeden Padesky MSOT, and Toni Solaru MSOT; all former students in the Farrar-Edwards laboratory in the Occupational Therapy Programme at the University of Wisconsin Madison for their contribution to the current study. Special thanks to Timothy Marks, MSOT for his efforts in recruitment and data collection of this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported in part by an award from the Gertrude Gaston Fund of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Programme in Occupational Therapy.