The Development of the Dementia Screening Battery-100: Instrument Presentation, Reliability, and Construct Validity

BACKGROUND/AIM: The screening of dementia in non-Westerners has so far relied on translations and adaptations of reputed instruments. Other efforts focused on developing culturally appropriate tests or tests in touch with new developments in the field. This study presents the rationale behind the construction of a new dementia screening test: the Dementia Screening Battery-100 (DSB-100). METHODS: The DSB-100 was administered to 46 demented individuals and 159 healthy matched controls. All demented participants met the DSM-IV criteria for dementia. The healthy controls showed no cognitive impairment and were independent in activities of daily living. The DSB-100 was administered as part of a larger neuropsychological assessment to collect additional indices on the severity of patients' dementia, depression, and frontal dysfunctions. The same information was used for comparisons with DSB-100 scores. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis suggested that age and education, but not the variable sex, are essential in predicting cognitive performance. Construct validation yielded 4 factors, namely attention-visuospatial factors, memory, language, and executive functions. The results showed that the DSB-100 has a high interrater reliability and an acceptable overall internal homogeneity. CONCLUSION: These results validate the DSB-100 and suggest its appropriateness for dementia screening in Tunisian elderly and possibly elderly people from other cultures with modifications to some subscales.