This study examined the influence of clinician and caregiver severity ratings on cognitive and functional impairment in dementia patients. Data from 703 participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were analyzed. Multiple linear regression evaluated the impact of these ratings on impairment. The optimal linear combination of clinician and caregiver ratings accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in FAQ scores among patients with adj   dementia, R2    = .192, F (2, 3915) = 465.564, p = .000. Clinician ratings significantly predictedFAQ scores (β = 8.079, p = .000), while caregiver ratings did not (p = .653). In executive functioning, the optimal linear combination of clinician and caregiver ratings accounted for a significant proportion of the variance (R2adj = .002, F (2, 3915) = 3.941, p = .020), with both clinician (β = -.107, p = .000) and caregiver ratings (β = -.011, p = .003) being significant independent predictors. In processing speed, both clinician (β = -.116, p = .000) and caregiver ratings (β = -.010, p = .003) contributed to a significant proportion of the variance (R2adj = .008, p= .000). For language, both clinician (β = -.072, p = .000) and caregiver ratings (β = -.009, p = adj   .000) accounted for a significant proportion of the variance (R2    = .008, p = .000). However, neither clinician nor caregiver ratings significantly predict memory scores, p’s > .050. Results indicate that the CDR and NPI-Q are significant predictors of cognitive and functional impairment in dementia patients.

Haylie DeMercy is a third year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at Loma Linda University. Prior to graduate school, Haylie received her B.A. in psychology from Utah State University. Haylie’s research is focused on investigating the utility and quality of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for cognitive impairment in aging individuals or in clinical populations with neurodegenerative disorders. Haylie is very passionate about increasing the accessibility and quality of mental health care for these populations. Thus, her clinical interests involve serving older adult populations and American Veterans through the U.S. Veterans Administration in the forms of therapy and neuropsychological assessment