Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Allen Cognitive Levels Assessment

The present study examined the concurrent and predictive validity of the Allen Cognitive Levels (ACL) Assessment in a sample of 110 medicated patients with schizophrenia who received the ACL at discharge from a state psychiatric facility. Subsamples within this group of patients had received an Activities of Daily Living assessment (n = 64) and a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery (n = 48) at discharge, or a battery of community follow-up measures (n = 30) 1-3.5 years following discharge as part of other investigations. Positive correlations were found between the ACL and concurrent measures of adaptive and cognitive function. With respect to cognitive variables, stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the majority of the variance in ACL scores was predicted by neuropsychological test scores assessing higher level cognitive processes, such as visual organization, manipulation of information in working memory, and ability to inhibit a response to a prepotent stimulus. Finally, results revealed positive relationships between the ACL obtained at discharge and community functioning at follow-up. The results of this study provide some evidence for the concurrent and predictive validity of the ACL for patients with schizophrenia and suggest that further study of this assessment tool would be important to pursue in future investigations.