Shannon Martin
Doctor of Clinical Psychology, (Doctor of Clinical Psychology)
Study Completed: 2015
College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Citation
Thesis Title
A Psychometric Evaluation of the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT) for Sports Concussion
Read article at Massey Research Online: 
Increased awareness of concussion in sport and its effect on cognitive functioning has prompted the development of neuropsychological assessments specific to sport concussion. Ms Martin examined the validity and reliability of a popular assessment tool called ImPACT. Through a series of factor analyses employing a male adolescent sample, Ms Martin identified an eight-item, two-factor structure, representing reaction time and memory. The structure was inconsistent with the current ImPACT scoring structure. Ms Martin’s model was successfully validated among a new sample and demonstrated longitudinal stability over a three-year period leading her to suggest that while ImPACT has the potential to be a useful tool, its items and scoring structure need to be revised to increase its efficacy.
Supervisors
Associate Professor Clifford Van Ommen
Associate Professor Richard Fletcher