Self-perception of cognitive functions in patients with neurological impairments as measured against a translated Cognitive Change Index.

Abstract

The primary purpose of the study was to compare the results of neuropsychological assessments with results obtained using a translated Cognitive Change Index (CCI) on patients with diagnosed brain pathology. Our study included 54 patients diagnosed with neurologic pathology (stroke, TBI, or brain tumor) at the University Rehabilitation Institute Soca (average age = 51 years, SD = 15 years). The results of neuropsychological evaluations and anamnestic data were also obtained for the clinical subsample. Confirmatory factor analysis of the translated CCI performed on responses of 151 normative elderly participants supported a one-factor structure of the questionnaire. Cronbach's α was 0.77 in the clinical sample. A significant correlation was found between lower scores for attention and visual abilities using objective measurement tools and a person's self-assessment of impairment in their own cognitive functions (score on CCI). Individuals can perceive that their attention and visual abilities are impaired when those abilities also score low in diagnostic tests.