Construct Validity of Sway Mobile Application Cognitive Testing

Clark, C. B., & Vanravenhorst-Bell, H. A.

2022

This manuscript describes the results from a validation study designed to assess the construct validity of the Sway Medical Application in the assessment of cognitive functioning. Eighty-five healthy adults were assessed with both Sway and the ImPACT computer-based medical app. Participants also underwent an assessment battery utilizing components of traditional cognitive tests (i.e., the Wechsler Adult Memory Scale-IV, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV, the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), and the California Verbal Learning Test – 3rd Edition). Spearman's Rho correlation analyses were used to determine relationships between the scales of the Sway Medical App, the ImPACT computer-based medical app, and traditional cognitive tests. In general, Sway Medical App cognitive tests demonstrated significant correlations with both the ImPACT computer-based tests and traditional cognitive tests. Particularly robust correlations were shown between the four D-KEFS Color-Word Interference tests and the Sway Reverse Number Counting test (rs = .49-.54, p < .001) and Sway Cued Stroop Test (rs = .40-64, p <.001). The Sway Impulse Control test also correlated strongly with the D-KEFS Trail Making Condition 1 (rs = .42,p < .001) and Condition 3 (rs = .33, p = .003) as well as the ImPACT Reaction Time Composite Scale (rs = .43, p <.001) and Visual Motor Composite (rs = -.41, p < .001). In summary, this work demonstrates the potential of the Sway Medical App as a method of assessing cognitive functioning.