title: Assessment of cognitive ageing: Applying generalisability theory, Rasch and network analyses to establish reliability and validity of measures

authors: Truong, Quoc Cuong

subjects: cognitive aging

abstract: Accurate assessment of cognitive ageing is critical to improve healthcare for older adults with cognitive decline. While bio-physiological assessments, such as laboratory, physical, and neurological examinations, offer high precision and interval-level scaling, they are limited by not reflecting perceptual experiences of individuals. In other words, it is impossible to find out what an individual is experiencing without asking questions, which requires psychometric measures, often using ordinal level scales. Psychometric measures are widely used to assess, diagnose, and research cognitive ageing but their reliability and validity may bias the results. Firstly, differentiating between enduring and dynamic patterns captured by a measure helps to distinguish an enduring condition while monitoring changes over time. This type of differentiation is also important to determine the reliability and validity of ordinal scales focused on enduring or dynamic patterns. Secondly, all measures should be ideally at least interval-level to meet the basic assumptions of parametric statistics for comparative analyses with interval level variables such as neuroimaging data. Thirdly, the cognitive components assessed using psychometric measures of cognitive ageing interact with each other, and this may impact on the validity of the outcomes measured at the same time, as well as the ability to predict the future outcomes of cognitive ageing. Together, these issues challenge the reliability and validity of the current psychometric measures of cognitive ageing. The present thesis addresses these reliability and validity issues by using three modern theories of measurement, namely, Generalisability theory (G-Theory), Rasch analysis, and Network analysis. 
The first part of this thesis focuses on the application of G-Theory to examine dynamic and enduring aspects of cognitive ageing as measured by the Memory Assessment Clinic Questionnaire (MAC-Q), the 16-item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE-16), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M). The findings of these studies highlighted the importance of differentiating between dynamic and enduring aspects of cognition and revealed the specific benefits of each measure in assessing cognitive ageing. The second part of the thesis included three studies that applied Rasch methodology to the IQCODE-16 and the TICS-M. These studies generated algorithms that allow the transformation of ordinal scales scores into interval-level data, which improved the precision of the measures. The final two studies used network analysis to evaluate the validity of the cognitive domains of TICS-M and MMSE in relation to neuropsychological test performance, advancing the understanding of global network mechanisms involved in assessments of cognitive ageing and relations between cognitive functions. Overall, this thesis involved analyses of three longitudinal datasets, totalling 2705 participants. The reported findings enhanced reliability and validity of widely used assessment tools for older adults and contributed to better understanding of cognitive ageing processes.

text: Assessment of cognitive ageing: Applying generalisability theory, Rasch and network analyses to establish reliability and validity of measures Accurate assessment of cognitive ageing is critical to improve healthcare for older adults with cognitive decline. While bio-physiological assessments, such as laboratory, physical, and neurological examinations, offer high precision and interval-level scaling, they are limited by not reflecting perceptual experiences of individuals. In other words, it is impossible to find out what an individual is experiencing without asking questions, which requires psychometric measures, often using ordinal level scales. Psychometric measures are widely used to assess, diagnose, and research cognitive ageing but their reliability and validity may bias the results. Firstly, differentiating between enduring and dynamic patterns captured by a measure helps to distinguish an enduring condition while monitoring changes over time. This type of differentiation is also important to determine the reliability and validity of ordinal scales focused on enduring or dynamic patterns. Secondly, all measures should be ideally at least interval-level to meet the basic assumptions of parametric statistics for comparative analyses with interval level variables such as neuroimaging data. Thirdly, the cognitive components assessed using psychometric measures of cognitive ageing interact with each other, and this may impact on the validity of the outcomes measured at the same time, as well as the ability to predict the future outcomes of cognitive ageing. Together, these issues challenge the reliability and validity of the current psychometric measures of cognitive ageing. The present thesis addresses these reliability and validity issues by using three modern theories of measurement, namely, Generalisability theory (G-Theory), Rasch analysis, and Network analysis. 
The first part of this thesis focuses on the application of G-Theory to examine dynamic and enduring aspects of cognitive ageing as measured by the Memory Assessment Clinic Questionnaire (MAC-Q), the 16-item Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE-16), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M). The findings of these studies highlighted the importance of differentiating between dynamic and enduring aspects of cognition and revealed the specific benefits of each measure in assessing cognitive ageing. The second part of the thesis included three studies that applied Rasch methodology to the IQCODE-16 and the TICS-M. These studies generated algorithms that allow the transformation of ordinal scales scores into interval-level data, which improved the precision of the measures. The final two studies used network analysis to evaluate the validity of the cognitive domains of TICS-M and MMSE in relation to neuropsychological test performance, advancing the understanding of global network mechanisms involved in assessments of cognitive ageing and relations between cognitive functions. Overall, this thesis involved analyses of three longitudinal datasets, totalling 2705 participants. The reported findings enhanced reliability and validity of widely used assessment tools for older adults and contributed to better understanding of cognitive ageing processes.

year: 2024

title: Memory recall can increase authenticity and engagement: understanding the role of work context and memory function in autobiographical memories.

authors: Sutton, Anna

abstract: Authenticity is positively associated with important psychological outcomes in the workplace, such as well-being and engagement, and is reliant on having a coherent sense of self. This coherent self is maintained by recalling autobiographical memories (AM). But the specific relationships between authenticity and memory functions are unclear. This study aims to first, identify differences in memory function and content in the recall of authentic and inauthentic moments and second, address how these AM functions are related to authenticity, engagement and well-being. Participants completed measures of authenticity, engagement and well-being before and after a memory recall task. For the recall task, they were randomly assigned to recall either an authentic, inauthentic, or control memory. Recall narratives were coded for memory functions (self-identity, social, directive) and for physical/social context features. Authentic moments, inauthentic moments and controls differed in terms of social and physical contexts. Authentic moments were most likely to involve being alone while inauthentic moments were most likely to happen at work. Authentic or inauthentic moments were both more likely than controls to involve work colleagues, with inauthentic moments also involving more distant acquaintances such as bosses or customers. In addition, recalling a memory, no matter what type, increased engagement and authentic self-awareness. While there was no difference between authentic or inauthentic moments in influencing these outcomes, individuals’ pre-recall levels of engagement and authenticity influenced the memory functions used. This taxonomy of (in)authentic moment recall can guide future research in authenticity and memory function. In addition, these findings begin to address the interactive role that authenticity plays in memory recall and its influence on other psychological outcomes.

text: Memory recall can increase authenticity and engagement: understanding the role of work context and memory function in autobiographical memories. Authenticity is positively associated with important psychological outcomes in the workplace, such as well-being and engagement, and is reliant on having a coherent sense of self. This coherent self is maintained by recalling autobiographical memories (AM). But the specific relationships between authenticity and memory functions are unclear. This study aims to first, identify differences in memory function and content in the recall of authentic and inauthentic moments and second, address how these AM functions are related to authenticity, engagement and well-being. Participants completed measures of authenticity, engagement and well-being before and after a memory recall task. For the recall task, they were randomly assigned to recall either an authentic, inauthentic, or control memory. Recall narratives were coded for memory functions (self-identity, social, directive) and for physical/social context features. Authentic moments, inauthentic moments and controls differed in terms of social and physical contexts. Authentic moments were most likely to involve being alone while inauthentic moments were most likely to happen at work. Authentic or inauthentic moments were both more likely than controls to involve work colleagues, with inauthentic moments also involving more distant acquaintances such as bosses or customers. In addition, recalling a memory, no matter what type, increased engagement and authentic self-awareness. While there was no difference between authentic or inauthentic moments in influencing these outcomes, individuals’ pre-recall levels of engagement and authenticity influenced the memory functions used. This taxonomy of (in)authentic moment recall can guide future research in authenticity and memory function. In addition, these findings begin to address the interactive role that authenticity plays in memory recall and its influence on other psychological outcomes.

year: 2024-07-22

title: Equity, equality, and biculturalism in the restructuring of New Zealand schools: A life-history approach

authors: Middleton, Sue

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: Interview data from the initial phase of "Monitoring Today's Schools," a research project to monitor the impact of New Zealand's educational restructuring, are examined.

text: Equity, equality, and biculturalism in the restructuring of New Zealand schools: A life-history approach Interview data from the initial phase of "Monitoring Today's Schools," a research project to monitor the impact of New Zealand's educational restructuring, are examined.

year: 1992