Assessment of The Reliability of Cognitive (Attention and Memory) Tests

Abstract

Research background and hypothesis. Special neuropsychological tests, which are used to assess cognitive
functions in clinical practice, are often complicated, time-consuming, demanding special knowledge and expensive;
therefore, cognitive functions frequently remain insufficiently assessed. For this reason, our selected and validated
tests intended for the assessment of short-term memory and attention could be successfully applied in sports and
clinical rehabilitation.
Research aim. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the tests of cognitive functions (memory
and attention).
Research methods. The reliability of the tests was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)
and variation coefficient (VC). Young and healthy students (n = 41), aged from 18 to 30 (24.6  ± 2.3), participated
in the research. The participants accomplished the tests 4 times, i. e. 2 times (with a one-hour break) on the first day
(teaching) and 2 times (with a one-hour break) on the second day (reliability testing).
Research results. The results of testing the volume of spatial memory and even number recognition ranged
from high to very high reliability of the tests. The results of ICC single of testing memory for figure recognition
demonstrated  low  reliability,  whereas  ICC  average  proved  average  reliability.  The  results  of  complex  reaction
assessment, search for image samples and attention transfer ranged from high to a very high reliability of the tests.
Discussion and conclusions. The reliability of the tests of memory and attention assessment is high (with the
exception of figure recognition tests, the reliability of which is average/low); therefore, the tests are suitable to be
used in sport and  clinical rehabilitation practice, aiming at determining the changes in cognitive functions under the
influence of external factors, e. g. cold, heat, etc.

Keywords: brain functions, validity, stability, testing.