Dement Neurocogn Disord.  2017 Dec;16(4):95-103. 10.12779/dnd.2017.16.4.95.

Development and Validation of the Way-Finding Ability Scale for Middle-Aged and Older Adults

• Kim S
• Kang Y

• KMID: 2442725
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12779/dnd.2017.16.4.95

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
This study was performed to newly develop the Way-Finding Ability Scale (WFAS) for middle-aged and older adults and validate its clinical utility.
METHODS
The participants for verifying construct validity included 324 adults aged from 45 to 79 years, and 22 normal old adults without way-finding deficit (WFD), 41 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and 35 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI) for verifying discriminant validity. All participants were administered the newly constructed 28-item WFAS.
RESULTS
Exploratory factor analysis of the WFAS revealed a four-factor solution (sense of direction and inattention, spatial learning and memory, strategic ability, and cardinal direction). This four-factor structure was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The discriminant validity was examined by administering the WFAS to normal older adults and two patient groups (aMCI & PD-MCI). The results showed that the total scores of two patient groups were lower than that of normal older adults. The patients with WFD had significantly lower total scores than those without WFD. Interestingly, the total scores of patients without WFD were significantly lower than those of normal older adults suggesting that the cognitive functions associated with way-finding ability (WFA) were partially impaired in aMCI and PD-MCI patients without apparent WFD. The patients with WFD had consistently lower scores in every four-factor than those without WFD.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicated that the WFAS assesses the WFD reliably as well as estimates the degree of decline in WFA.

Keyword

way-finding ability; way-finding deficits; amnestic mild cognitive impairment; Parkinson's disease

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Cognition
Humans
Memory
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Parkinson Disease
Spatial Learning

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