Iranian Journal of

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Background: One of the common problems of the elderly, which increase of its prevalence with aging is the dementia and the cognitive impairment. We can help the involved patients to have a better quality of life with early diagnosis of the cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was an assessment of the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the abbreviated mental test (AMT) among the older people in a nursing home setting. Methods: 176 eligible elderly people aged ≥ 60 years living in KahrizakCharity Foundation (KCF), were selected randomly based on medical record number. Demographic information and past medical history of the participants were collected. Geriatric depression scale 15 (GDS-15), global deterioration scale (GDS) forms and also the Persian version of the abbreviated mental test (AMT) were administered. The participants were assigned to two groups the normal and impaired cognitive groups, based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The GDS cut-points were used for assessment of validity, sensitivity and specificity of the Persian version of AMT. Results: The mean age of the participants was 77.30 (7.94) years. The Persian version of AMT had good discriminated validity in diagnosis of normal and impaired cognitive participants (7.35 ± 2.33 and 5.99 ± 2.29, P < 0.01 respectively) and at cut-point AMT< 8,(based on GDS cut-point) it had a sensitivity and specificity 92.15 % and 81.50% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity based on theism IVcriteriawere 64.9% and 64.0% at cut-off point equal to 7, respectively. The internal consistency of the Persian version of AMT was acceptable (Cronbach’salpha coefficient =0. 76). As well as the external reliability (intra-rater) of this instrument was good inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.89) Conclusion: The Persian version of the AMT has appropriate validity and reliability in Iranian older people.