SJWEH Supplements 2006;(no 2):41-46 pdf
Self-reported conceptions of memory and concentration in comparison with the neuropsychological test performance of manual workers
Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate the extent to which self-reported symptoms can predict actual performance on tests for attention, speed, and memory.
Methods Men in manual occupations (N=432) answered the Q16 questionnaire, which is a neuropsychiatric questionnaire, before being tested with a neuropsychological test battery. The mean age of the men was 42.4 (range 18–68) years.
Results The men reported few (mean 2.3) symptoms or complaints. With one exception, none of the memory-related complaints predicted weaker performance on memory tests. However, the participants who reported such complaints showed a somewhat weaker performance on tests for attention, cognitive speed, and reaction time. A question about concentration problems predicted, to a certain degree, performance on tests for attention, speed and reaction time.
Conclusions The results suggest that, in occupational and environmental health settings, self-reported cognitive abilities can be trusted to only a limited degree.
Key terms attention; concentration; manual worker; memory; neuropsychological test performance; neuropsychology; Q16 questionnaire; questionnaire; self-assessment; self-report; self-reported conception; worker