Jd. Nadler et al., EFFECTS OF PATIENT AGE ON NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TEST INTERPRETATION, Professional psychology, research and practice, 25(3), 1994, pp. 288-295
Normative test data for a 38-year-old and for a 74-year-old were obtai
ned for the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery, the Wechsler A
dult Intelligence Scale-Revised, and the Wechsler Memory Scale. These
test protocols were presented for blind interpretation to a random sam
ple of psychologists specializing in neuropsychology. Test results for
the ''average'' elderly person were interpreted as normal less freque
ntly (42%) than results for the ''average'' younger adult (93%). The e
lderly person's test results also received higher impairment ratings a
nd were frequently interpreted as reflecting dementia (23%). Subject's
level of confidence with decisions made did not have an impact on acc
uracy rates. In addition, personal, training, and professional variabl
es were not significantly related to judgment accuracy. The results su
ggest a tendency for misinterpretation of normal elderly persons' test
performance.