The Item-Specific Deficit Approach to evaluating verbal memory dysfunction: Rationale, psychometrics, and application

Abstract

In the current study, we introduce the Item-Specific Deficit Approach (ISDA), a novel method for characterizing memory process deficits in list-learning data. To meet this objective, we applied the ISDA to California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) data collected from a sample of 132 participants (53 healthy participants and 79 neurologically compromised participants). Overall, the ISDA indices measuring encoding, consolidation, and retrieval deficits demonstrated advantages over some traditional indices and indicated acceptable reliability and validity. Currently, the ISDA is intended for experimental use, although further research may support its utility for characterizing memory impairments in clinical assessments. KeywordsMemory; Psychometrics; Brain injury; Traumatic brain injury; Human immunodeficiency virus Verbal memory is often the focus of neuropsychological studies, in which descriptive indices are frequently extracted from list-learning data. These are used to identify memory process disruptions. Such indices are easily derived from list-learning tests and can be utilized when experimental manipulations may not be feasible. Unfortunately, the verbal memory profiles derived using these indices often lead to mixed results across studies and/or disagree with results from studies using experimental manipulations and measures of list-learning characteristics (e. Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Schultheis, Madigan, Christodoulou, & Averill, 2000; Parkinson's disease: Beatty et al., 2003 vs. Faglioni, Saetti, & Botti, 2000. The objective of the current study is to introduce and evaluate a new set of memory process indices that can be applied to list-learning data and account for weaknesses in previously used measures. NIH Public AccessPsychologists have often employed a three-stage model when discussing episodic memory (Ellis & Hunt, 1983; but see Howe, 1988). Here, memory is conceptualized as three distinct process units. The first is encoding, where information is taken in and transformed into a format that can be stored in the brain. The second stage is consolidation, where the transformed information is stored in the brain for later use. The third is retrieval, or extraction of the stored information for ...

Verbal memory impairment in new onset bipolar disorder: Relationship with frontal and medial temporal morphology

“…There are several limitations in this study. it has been suggested that measures derived from list learning tasks such as the CvLT-ii may not accurately dissociate the processes of encoding, consolidation and retrieval (Wright et al 2009), and are not reflective of functioning in specific brain regions. While this is an important caveat to our analytical approach, here we classified list-learning indices by the general pattern displayed by patients with frontal vs. MT pathology (Tierney et al 2011;Wolk and dickerson 2011).…”

Early metabolic crisis-related brain atrophy and cognition in traumatic brain injury

“…Indeed, we have found that distinct ‘frontal’ and ‘temporal’ components contribute to deficits in various forms of memory following severe TBI (Schmitter-Edgecombe & Wright, 2003; Schmitter-Edgecombe & Wright, 2004; Schmitter-Edgecombe et al, 2004; Wright & Schmitter-Edgecombe, 2011; Wright et al, 2010). For example, in a study of verbal memory where we employed a novel item analytic technique for discerning process disruptions on list-learning tests (Wright et al, 2009), we found that severe acceleration-deceleration TBI related-memory deficits were driven by strategic encoding deficits (primary) and consolidation problems (secondary) (Wright et al, 2010). Additionally, our data indicated that while these encoding and consolidation deficits interacted, they made significant independent contributions to the memory impairments observed in our TBI sample.…”

Construct Validity of the Item-Specific Deficit Approach to the California Verbal Learning Test (2nd Ed) in HIV Infection

“…Consistent with its predominant frontostriatal pathology, the memory profile associated with HIV infection is best characterized as a mixed encoding/retrieval profile. The Item-Specific Deficit Approach (ISDA) was developed by Wright et al (2009) to elicit indices of Encoding, Consolidation, and Retrieval from the well-validated California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT; Delis et al, 1987; 2000). The current study evaluated construct validity of the ISDA for the CVLT-II in 40 persons with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HIV+/HAND+), 103 HIV-infected persons without HAND (HIV+/HAND−), and 43 seronegative comparison subjects (HIV−).…”