Perception of Computer Cognitive Test Among Users and Clinical Observers

Background Computerized measurement tools for cognitive screening can be administered in a clinical setting or at home with or without supervision. Users’ perceptions of these tools could influence their acceptance of such self-screening tool. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of users and clinical observers regarding the Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB). Methods A self-reported 11-item survey consisting of three dimensions of perception - time consumption, self-efficacy, and empowerment was used to gather the perceptions of users with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The perceptions of clinical observers were collected via a separate 8-item survey for all test participants. Items were scored using 5-Liker scale, and “strongly agree” and “agree” were grouped as the positive perception. Results Among users with normal cognition and MCI, the overall positive perception rate was 79.4% (normal cognition: 84.0%; MCI: 75.0%). Positive perception rates for time consumption, self-efficacy, and empowerment were 60.8%, 67.6%, and 83.3%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that self-efficacy perception correlated with education level (p=0.024) and card familiarity (p=0.009). Clinical observers reported high positive perception rates of 83.3% for both time consumption and interface usability. Only 8.3% of clinical observers found the instructions easy to understand for participants with dementia and 16.7% would recommend home self-assessment for these individuals. Conclusions Users without dementia generally perceived the CBB positively, although lower education and card familiarity were correlated with reduced self-efficacy perception. This study highlighted the need for supervision when utilizing the CBB with dementia patients, emphasizing the importance of tailored support for diverse user groups.