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The Stick Design test: A new measure of visuoconstructional ability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2005

OLUSEGUN BAIYEWU ,
FREDERICK W. UNVERZAGT ,
KATHLEEN A. LANE ,
OYE GUREJE ,
ADESOLA OGUNNIYI ,
BEVERLY MUSICK ,
SUJUAN GAO ,
KATHLEEN S. HALL  and
HUGH C. HENDRIE
OLUSEGUN BAIYEWU
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
FREDERICK W. UNVERZAGT
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
KATHLEEN A. LANE
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
OYE GUREJE
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
ADESOLA OGUNNIYI
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
BEVERLY MUSICK
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
SUJUAN GAO
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
KATHLEEN S. HALL
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
HUGH C. HENDRIE
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
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Abstract

Visuoconstructional ability is an important domain for assessment in dementia. Use of graphomotor measures dominate this area; however, participants with low education produce results that cannot be easily interpreted. Our objective was to develop and validate a nongraphomotor assessment of visuoconstructional ability for use in dementia evaluations in persons with low or no education. In a longitudinal, population-based study of dementia among Yoruba residents of Ibadan, Nigeria aged 65 years and older, participants underwent clinical assessment with a battery of cognitive tests and consensus diagnosis. Performance on two visuoconstructional tests, Constructional Praxis and Stick Design, were compared. Gender, age, and education affected performance on both tests. The Stick Design test was more acceptable than Constructional Praxis as measured by the number of participants with total test failure (3.9% vs. 15.1%). The Stick Design test was significantly more sensitive to cognitive impairment and dementia than the Constructional Praxis test. We conclude that Stick Design is a reasonable test of visuoconstructional ability in older cohorts with very limited educational exposure and literacy. (JINS, 2005, 11, 598–605.)

Keywords

CognitionNeuropsychological testAgingDementiaDiagnosisGeriatric assessment
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 11 , Issue 5 , September 2005 , pp. 598 - 605
Copyright
© 2005 The International Neuropsychological Society

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