Norwegian version of the Edinburgh cognitive and behavioural ALS screen: Construct validity, internal consistency, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability

• BackgroundResearch collaboration highlight a need for validated tests in other languages than English. Translation and culture adjustments may threaten essential features of the original instrument. ObjectiveTo assess the internal consistency, inter-rater and test-retest reliability, and construct validity of the Norwegian version of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Screen (ECAS-N). MethodsPerformance of 71 subjects with ALS, 85 healthy controls (HC) and 6 controls with Alzheimer's disease (AD) were assessed with the ECAS-N. Test-retest interval was four months. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha; reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Cohen's kappa, and Bland Altman plot. Five hypothesis, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) screen, was evaluated for construct validity. ResultsECAS-N total score produced a Cronbach's alpha of 0.65, had excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.99) and acceptable test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.73). Construct validity analysis suggested valid use of the ECAS-N to distinguish people with ALS-specific cognitive impairment from HC (p = 0.001) and those with AD (p = 0.002). The MoCA and ECAS-N were moderately correlated (r = 0.53). ConclusionThe ECAS-N has potential to be used by different testers in clinical practice and research to screen patients with ALS who speak Norwegian and for documenting cognitive impairment over time.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)