Table 1. Participant characteristics, internal-consistency reliability, and reliable change indexes for working memory tests.
| Mean | SD | Reliability | RCI* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographic and clinical aspects | ||||
| Age | 76.20 | 7.92 | - | - |
| Education | 4.88 | 3.85 | - | - |
| Mattis Dementia Rating Scale | 107.80 | 16.23 | - | - |
| Functional Assessment Questionnaire | 7.24 | 4.28 | - | - |
| Digit Span, forward | ||||
| Correct trials | 5.28 | 2.09 | 0.891 | ±2 |
| Span | 3.84 | 0.90 | ±1 | |
| Correct trials vs. span | 21.84 | 14.39 | ±13 | |
| Digit Span, backward | ||||
| Correct trials | 3.16 | 1.40 | 0.598 | ±2 |
| Span | 2.88 | 1.01 | ±2 | |
| Correct trials vs. span | 10.36 | 7.28 | ±13 | |
| Corsi Block-Tapping task, forward | ||||
| Correct trials | 4.64 | 1.11 | 0.753 | ±2 |
| Span | 3.60 | 0.65 | ±1 | |
| Correct trials vs. span | 17.24 | 6.21 | ±9 | |
| Corsi Block-Tapping task, backward | ||||
| Correct trials | 2.80 | 1.83 | 0.782 | ±2 |
| Span | 3.16 | 0.75 | ±1 | |
| Correct trials vs. span | 10.04 | 9.21 | ±12 |
RCI = reliable change index; SD = standard deviation.
*
If the difference between two assessments (baseline vs. follow-up, pre vs. post, etc.) is higher or lower than the RCI value, there is only a small probability (p < 0.05) of the difference being due to measurement error; instead, it is likely associated with an external factor (e.g., the tested intervention, time-related cognitive decline, placebo, or other non-documented factors).