An Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of the Farsi Version of the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) examination, marking the first such investigation. METHODS: The sample comprised 200 participants: 75 with normal cognition, 74 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 51 with dementia. Concurrent validity was assessed using the MMSE and NUCOG; divergent validity employed the GDS-15. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis showed a unidimensional structure. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.719) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.717) were satisfactory. SLUMS correlated highly with MMSE (r = 0.787) and NUCOG (r = 0.861), but moderately with GDS-15 (r = -0.376). It effectively discriminated dementia from MCI but showed limited ability to differentiate normal cognition from MCI. CONCLUSION: The Farsi SLUMS is a suitable screening tool for detecting dementia, though caution is advised when distinguishing MCI from normal cognition.