Development of a behavioral test of visuospatial neglect

Abstract

The Rivermead Behavioral Inattention Test (RBIT), consisting of nine items sampling activities of daily living, was administered to 28 patients after unilateral right (20) or left (8) cerebrovascular accidents, and to 14 non-brain-damaged controls. All patients were tested on two parallel forms of the RBIT with order of presentation balanced and on at least two of six conventional tests of visual neglect. Control subjects were tested on either form 1 or form 2 of the RBIT. Interrater reliability of scoring was tested on seven subjects chosen at random. Using control scores to determine the cutoff point between visual inattention and noninattention, 14 patients (50%) showed evidence of visuospatial neglect on the RBIT. Correlation between the two forms of the test was 0.83. The RBIT also correlated well with five of the conventional tests. Interrater reliability was 100%. The RBIT appears to be a valid and reliable test of visuospatial neglect and one which is likely to provide more information about everyday problems than existing measures of neglect.