Abbreviated Mental State Test

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Summary

Staff-completed mental test score consisting of 10 questions to test cognitive impairment in the elderly. This abbreviated version tests memory and orientation and is interviewer administered.

Time to do (in minutes)

10

Training

None

Equipment

None

Cost

Nil

Distribution

Measure in original article

Patient population

Older people There may be other populations involved in other studies.

Locale

Community, Inpatients, Outpatients

Reference

Hodkinson H (1972) Evaluation of a mental test score for the assessment of mental impairment in the elderly Age and Ageing 1, 233-238.

Development

See original reference.

Reliability

Little A, Hemsley D, Bergmann K et al (1987) Comparison of the sensitivity of three instruments for the detection of cognitive decline in the elderly living at home British Journal of Psychiatry 150, 808 - 14.

Responsiveness

see Little (1987).

Validity

Vardon VM, Blessed G (1986) Confusion ratings and abbreviated mental test performance: a comparison Age and Ageing 15, 139 ñ 44. Jitapunkul S et al (1991) The Abbreviated Mental Test: its use and validity Age and Ageing Sep 20, 5, 332-6. Thompson P, Blessed G (1987) Correlation between the 37-item mental test score and abbreviated 10-item mental test score by psycho-geriatric day patients British Journal of Psychiatry 151, 206 ñ 9.

Miscellaneous

Simpson J (1993) Assessing elderly people. Should we all use the same scales? Physiotherapy 79, 12, 836-838. Bowling A (1995) Measuring Disease Open University Press ISBN 0-335-19225-4. Bowling A (1997) Measuring Health - a Review of Quality of Life Measurement Scales Open University Press ISBN 0-335-19754-X. Swain DG et al (1997) Evaluation of a shortened version of the Abbreviated Mental Test in a series of elderly patients Clinical Rehabilitation 11, 3, 243-8. MacKenzie DM et al (1996) Brief cognitive screening of the elderly: a comparison of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) and Mental Status Questionnaire (MSQ) Psychol Med 26, 2, 427-30.

Disclaimer

This is not an exhaustive search and is to be updated and amended

Descriptors

elderly, mental health, disability, function, activity, older people

Related website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbreviated_mental_test_score