Ecological validity of the neuropsychological assessment battery screening module in post-acute brain injury rehabilitation

Abstract

Primary objective: To assess the ecological validity of the Screening Module of the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB-SM) using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Method: Seventy individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury at a residential post-acute rehabilitation facility were administered the FIM instrument and the NAB-SM upon admission. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the variables from these two assessment measures. Results: Hierarchical models revealed that (1) the NAB-SM Total score was significantly associated with the FIM instrument Total score as well as the Motor and Cognition sub-scale scores, above and beyond the contribution of demographic variables, (2) the NAB-SM Language, Memory and Spatial domain scores were significantly associated with of the FIM instrument Cognition sub-scale score and (3) the NAB-SM Spatial domain score was significantly associated with of the FIM instrument Total and Motor sub-scale scores. Conclusions: The current findings support previous research and provide strong evidence for the ecological validity of the NAB-SM with regard to functional abilities as assessed by the FIM instrument.