Arizona Battery for Cognitive-Communication Disorders (ABCD-2)

The Arizona Battery for Cognitive-Communication Disorders–Second Edition (ABCD-2) is a standardized test battery for the comprehensive assessment and screening of patients suspected of having mild to moderate neurocognitive disorders, including mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and traumatic brain injury. The test contains 17 brief subtests that evaluate five domains: Mental Status, Episodic Memory, Language Expression, Language Comprehension, and Visuospatial Construction. Four optional screening tasks are available in order to determine whether participants’ limitations with vision, reading, and other difficulties will impact their ABCD-2 performance.

 

 

The ABCD-2 was normed on a sample of 399 adults with mild and significant neurocognitive disorders including mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The test assesses cognitive domains specified in the DSM-5 that should be examined when considering a diagnosis of neurocognitive impairment. Several subtests can also be used for screening for mild cognitive impairment and dementia when time does not permit administering the complete battery. The test yields subtest raw scores that can be converted to severity scores with a range of 1 to 5 points, enabling the examiner to compare scores across subtests. The severity scores can be converted to domain scores and the ABCD-2 Total Score.

The Examiner’s Manual includes a comprehensive discussion of the test’s rationale, item development, standardization, administration and scoring procedures, norms tables, and guidelines for using and interpreting the results. Test results can be used to screen for neurocognitive disorders; to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individuals with MCI, dementia, or head injury; to plan treatment; to serve as a baseline measure for tracking response to drug and behavioral therapies; and to counsel personal and professional caregivers. The ABCD-2 can also be used in research that focuses on the cognitive and communicative abilities of adults.

ABCD-2 coefficient alpha and test–retest reliabilities for the ABCD-2 Total Score are .97 and .95, respectively. Validity studies demonstrate the test’s ability to differentiate participants with mild and major neurocognitive disorders from those with normal neurocognitive function.