Alternative Impairment Index: A Measure of Neuropsychological Deficit

Abstract

The Alternative Impairment Index, a new composite measure of neuropsychological deficit, was compared with two established measures of neuropsychological impairment, the General Neuropsychological Deficit Scale and the Halstead Impairment Index. A sample of 25 brain-damaged patients with complete Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test scores was composed. Test scores on these measures were calculated for each patient. Severity criteria were set for normal, mild, moderate, and severe brain damage. Hit rates for agreement on severity for the Alternative Impairment Index and Halstead Impairment Index were 60%, i.e., 15/25, and for the General Neuropsychological Deficit Scale and Alternative Impairment Index were 64%, i.e., 16/25.