Table 3.
Summary of Cognition Assessment Measures
| Scale | Example Questions | Number of questions used to assess cognition | Domains of cognition tested | Validated? (y/n) | Measure validated against | P-value for validation assessemnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday Cognition (ECog) [34] | 1. Remembering a few shopping items without a list. 2. Remembering things that happened recently (such as recent outings, events in the news). 3. Recalling conversations a few days later. 4. Remembering where she/he has placed objects. 5. Repeating stories and/or questions. 6. Remembering the current date or day of the week 7. Remembering he/she has already told someone something. 8. Remembering appointments, meetings, or engagements. 9. Verbally giving instructions to others. 10. Following a story in a book. (full list of questions available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877034/pdf/nihms-200864.pdf) |
39 questions | Global cognition, Everyday memory, everyday language, everyday visuospatial, everyday planning, everyday organization, everyday divided attention | Y | Blessed Dementia Rating Scale (BDSR), Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Clinical Diagnosis | Global cognition p < 0.001 (accurately discriminating between clinical groups) |
| Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R) [33] | 1. It is easy for me to concentrate on what I am doing. 2. I am preoccupied by the future. moment in considerable detail. 3. I am easily distracted. 4. I am preoccupied by the past. 5. I am able to focus on the present moment. 6. I am able to pay close attention to one thing for a long period of time. |
6 (out of 12 questions) | Attention, present focus | Y | Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS), The Measure of Mental Anticipatory Processes (MMAP); | < 0.001 |
| European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (EORC QLQ-C30) [32] |
1. Have you had difficulty in concentrating on things, like reading a newspaper or watching television? 2. Have you had difficulty remembering things? |
2 (out of 30 total questions) | Cognitive function subscale | N | Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (MAC), Impact of Event Scale (IES) |
Non-significant |
| Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C- SOSI) [36] | 1. You must do things very slowly to do them without mistakes 2. You get directions and orders wrong 3. Your thinking gets completely mixed-up when you have to do things quickly 4. You have difficulty in concentrating 5. You become suddenly frightened for no good reason 6. You become so afraid you can’t move |
6 (out of 56 total questions) | Cognitive disorganization | N | EORTC QLQ C−30, POMS, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) | P < .01 for cognitive subscales on EORTC QLQ C-30 and POMS, and global PSQI score |
| Attentional Function Index (AFI) [35] | 1. Getting started on activities 2. Following through on plans 3. Doing things that take time and effort 4. Making mind up about things 5. Keeping mind on what you are doing 6. Remembering to do the things you started out to do 7. Keeping mind on what others are saying 8. Keeping self from saying or doing things 9. Being patient with others 10. How hard you find it to concentrate on details 11. How often you make mistakes 12. Forgetting important things 13. Getting easily annoyed/irritated |
13 questions | Effective action, attentional lapses, interpersonal effectiveness | Y | Symptom Distress Scale (SDS), Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), POMS | P < 0.01 (AFI and CFQ; improved perceived attention scores associated with decreased reported cognitive failures); p < 0.01 for AFI and POMS confusion subscale (increased AFI scores associated with decreased feelings of confusion) |
| Stroop Color and Word Test [37–40] | Neuropsychological assessment: word reading, color naming, named color-word | – | Inhibition of cognitive interference | Y | fMRI, clinical diagnosis | – |
ECog Everyday Cognition Scale, CAMS-R Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale- Revised, EORTC QLQ-C30 European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire, SOSI Symptoms of Stress Inventory, AFI Attentional Function Index, BDSR Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, CDR Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, MMSE Mini-Mental State Exam, CFS Cognitive Flexibility Scale, MMAP The Measure of Mental Anticipatory Processes, PAIS Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale, POMS Profile of Mood States, MAC Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, IES Impact of Event Scale, PSQI Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, SDS Symptom Distress Scale, CFQ Cognitive Failures Questionnaire