Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned

Objectives: Cognitive functioning is often impaired in mental and neurological conditions and might fluctuate throughout the day. An existing experience-sampling tool was upgraded to assess individual's cognition in everyday life. The objectives were to test the feasibility and validity of two...

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Main Authors: N.E.M. Daniëls, S.L. Bartels, S.J.W. Verhagen, R.J.M. Van Knippenberg, M.E. De Vugt, Ph.A.E.G Delespaul
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-03-01
Series:Internet Interventions
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782919301022
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spelling doaj-4c52692b219544d0838401b2070f544d2020-11-25T00:34:37ZengElsevierInternet Interventions2214-78292020-03-0119Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learnedN.E.M. Daniëls0S.L. Bartels1S.J.W. Verhagen2R.J.M. Van Knippenberg3M.E. De Vugt4Ph.A.E.G Delespaul5Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Lifesciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Lifesciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Maastricht University, Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands.Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Lifesciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Lifesciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Lifesciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Lifesciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Mondriaan Mental Health Trust, Department of Adult Psychiatry, Heerlen, the NetherlandsObjectives: Cognitive functioning is often impaired in mental and neurological conditions and might fluctuate throughout the day. An existing experience-sampling tool was upgraded to assess individual's cognition in everyday life. The objectives were to test the feasibility and validity of two momentary cognition tasks. Methods: The momentary Visuospatial Working Memory Task (mVSWMT) and momentary Digit Symbol Substitution Task (mDSST) were add-ons to an experience sampling method (ESM) smartphone app. Healthy adults (n = 49) between 19 and 73 years of age performed the tasks within an ESM questionnaire 8 times a day, over 6 consecutive days. Feasibility was determined through completion rate and participant experience. Validity was assessed through contextualization of cognitive performance within intrapersonal and situational factors in everyday life. Findings: Participants experienced the tasks as pleasant, felt motivated, and the completion rate was high (71%). Social context, age, and distraction influenced cognitive performance in everyday life. The mVSWMT was too difficult as only 37% of recalls were correct and thus requires adjustments (i.e. fixed time between encoding and recall; more trials per moment). The mDSST speed outcome seems the most sensitive outcome measure to capture between- and within-person variance. Conclusions: Short momentary cognition tasks for repeated assessment are feasible and hold promise, but more research is needed to improve validity and applicability in different samples. Recommendations for teams engaging in the field include matching task design with traditional neuropsychological tests and involving a multidisciplinary team as well as users. Special attention for individual needs can improve motivation and prevent frustration. Finally, tests should be attractive and competitive to stimulate engagement, but still reflect actual cognitive functioning. Keywords: Cognition, Experience sampling, Ecological momentary assessment, Working memory, Processing speedhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782919301022
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author N.E.M. Daniëls
S.L. Bartels
S.J.W. Verhagen
R.J.M. Van Knippenberg
M.E. De Vugt
Ph.A.E.G Delespaul
spellingShingle N.E.M. Daniëls
S.L. Bartels
S.J.W. Verhagen
R.J.M. Van Knippenberg
M.E. De Vugt
Ph.A.E.G Delespaul
Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
Internet Interventions
author_facet N.E.M. Daniëls
S.L. Bartels
S.J.W. Verhagen
R.J.M. Van Knippenberg
M.E. De Vugt
Ph.A.E.G Delespaul
author_sort N.E.M. Daniëls
title Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
title_short Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
title_full Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
title_fullStr Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
title_full_unstemmed Digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: Feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
title_sort digital assessment of working memory and processing speed in everyday life: feasibility, validation, and lessons-learned
publisher Elsevier
series Internet Interventions
issn 2214-7829
publishDate 2020-03-01
description Objectives: Cognitive functioning is often impaired in mental and neurological conditions and might fluctuate throughout the day. An existing experience-sampling tool was upgraded to assess individual's cognition in everyday life. The objectives were to test the feasibility and validity of two momentary cognition tasks. Methods: The momentary Visuospatial Working Memory Task (mVSWMT) and momentary Digit Symbol Substitution Task (mDSST) were add-ons to an experience sampling method (ESM) smartphone app. Healthy adults (n = 49) between 19 and 73 years of age performed the tasks within an ESM questionnaire 8 times a day, over 6 consecutive days. Feasibility was determined through completion rate and participant experience. Validity was assessed through contextualization of cognitive performance within intrapersonal and situational factors in everyday life. Findings: Participants experienced the tasks as pleasant, felt motivated, and the completion rate was high (71%). Social context, age, and distraction influenced cognitive performance in everyday life. The mVSWMT was too difficult as only 37% of recalls were correct and thus requires adjustments (i.e. fixed time between encoding and recall; more trials per moment). The mDSST speed outcome seems the most sensitive outcome measure to capture between- and within-person variance. Conclusions: Short momentary cognition tasks for repeated assessment are feasible and hold promise, but more research is needed to improve validity and applicability in different samples. Recommendations for teams engaging in the field include matching task design with traditional neuropsychological tests and involving a multidisciplinary team as well as users. Special attention for individual needs can improve motivation and prevent frustration. Finally, tests should be attractive and competitive to stimulate engagement, but still reflect actual cognitive functioning. Keywords: Cognition, Experience sampling, Ecological momentary assessment, Working memory, Processing speed
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782919301022
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