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Healthy children and adolescents obtain some low scores across a battery of memory tests

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2009

BRIAN L. BROOKS ,
GRANT L. IVERSON ,
ELISABETH M.S. SHERMAN  and
JAMES A. HOLDNACK
BRIAN L. BROOKS*
Affiliation:
Neurosciences Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
GRANT L. IVERSON
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Research Department, British Columbia Mental Health & Addiction Services, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
ELISABETH M.S. SHERMAN
Affiliation:
Neurosciences Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
JAMES A. HOLDNACK
Affiliation:
Clinical Content Development, Pearson Assessment, San Antonio, Texas
*
*Correspondence and reprint requests to: Brian L. Brooks, Neurosciences Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3B 6A8. E-mail: brian.brooks@albertahealthservices.ca
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Abstract

Obtaining some low memory scores across a battery of tests is common. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of low scores on the Children’s Memory Scale (CMS). Participants were 1000 children and adolescents between 5 and 16 years of age from the CMS standardization sample. Consistent with research on other batteries, having some low memory scores is common in healthy children and adolescents. The prevalence of low memory scores also increases with lower intelligence. Clinicians should be cautious when interpreting isolated low memory scores as sole evidence of memory impairment. Knowing the prevalence of low scores as a supplement to clinical judgment should reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosing memory problems. (JINS, 2009, 15, 613–617.)

Keywords

ChildrenPediatricMemoryPsychometricBase rateMisdiagnosis
Type
Brief Communications
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , July 2009 , pp. 613 - 617
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2009

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