Normative data for the Dementia Rating Scale-2 in the French-Quebec population.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Lavoie, Monica; Callahan, Brandy; Belleville, Sylvie; Simard, Martine; Bier, Nathalie; Gagnon, Lise; Gagnon, Jean-François; Blanchet, Sophie; Potvin, Olivier; Carol Hudon; Joël Macoir

Source:

Clin Neuropsychol, Volume 27, Issue 7, p.1150-66 (2013)

Keywords:

Age Distribution, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Attention, Cognition Disorders, Concept Formation, Cultural Characteristics, Dementia, Educational Status, Female, France, Humans, Male, Memory, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Quebec, Reference Values

Abstract:

<p>The Dementia Rating Scale-2 is used to measure cognitive status of adults with cognitive impairment, especially of the degenerative type, by assessing five cognitive functions, namely attention, initiation/perseveration, construction, conceptualization, and memory. The present study aimed to establish normative data for this test in the elderly French-Quebec population. A total of 432 French-speaking elders from the province of Quebec (Canada), aged 50 to 85 years, were administered the Dementia Rating Scale-2. Age and education were found to be associated with the total score on the test, while gender was not. Percentile ranks were then calculated for age- and education-stratified groups. Previous studies have shown that cultural background can affect performance on the DRS and the development of culture-specific norms for French-speaking Quebecers could be very useful to clinicians and researchers working with this population.</p>