Publication Abstract Display | Type: Poster | Title: Aging and HIV infection: the relationship between neuropsychological and vocational functioning. | Authors: Henninger DE, Byrd D, Franklin D, Heaton RK, Morgello S, Rivera-Mindt M, and the CHARTER Group | Date: 2006 | Abstract:While research supports the use of neuropsychological measures to predict ‘real-world’ function
(i.e., vocational functioning and activities of daily living) among younger and middle-aged HIV+
adults, no studies have evaluated the validity of using neuropsychological measures for this
purpose among older HIV+ adults. The objective of this study was to determine whether
neuropsychological measures would demonstrate comparable utility in predicting vocational
functioning among younger and older HIV+ adults. Methods: All participants (N=111), including
73 younger adults (all < 36 years; M=31.32, SD=3.19) and 38 older adults (all > 49 years;
M=53.79, SD=3.23), underwent comprehensive neuromedical, neuropsychological, and
vocational evaluations. The neuropsychological (NP) evaluation assessed verbal skills, attention/
working memory, processing speed, learning, memory, motor and abstraction/executive
functioning. Vocational functioning was evaluated with the Valpar Vocational Assessment
(VVA). Results: There was no difference between groups on proportion of participants with
Global NP impairment based on clinical ratings of Global NP functioning (X2 = 2.17, p>.10).
Correlational analyses revealed that Global NP functioning was comparable in predicting VVA
Total Scores among both the younger (r = -0.72, p <.01) and older groups (r = -0.62, p<.01; Z =
0.88, p >.05). Separate regression analyses revealed that a model of the seven NP domain clinical
ratings was also comparable in predicting VVA Total Scores among younger (R2=0.66, p<.01)
and older groups (R2= 0.56, p <.01; Z= 0.81, p >.05). Conclusions: This study provides support
for the ecological validity of neuropsychological test measures in the prediction of vocational
function among older HIV+ adults. |
return to publications listing
|