The DRS-2 assesses a patient’s overall level of cognitive functioning.

Features and benefits

• Used to track changes in cognitive status over time.
• Two forms allow for a better characterization of declining cognitive status and an improvement in the evaluation of treatment efficacy.

Test structure

• Five subscales provide additional information on specific abilities: Attention, Initiation/Perseveration, Construction, Conceptualization, and Memory.
• Within each subscale, the most difficult tasks are presented first. If the first one or two tasks in a subscale are performed well, subsequent tasks in the subscale are credited with a correct performance and the examiner proceeds to the next subscale—a procedure that significantly shortens the total testing time.
• The 32 stimulus cards are contained in a separate binder.

Technical information

• Age-corrected normative tables are provided for all DRS-2 subscales; age- and education-corrected normative data are provided for the DRS-2 Total Score.
• Validity studies comparing the DRS with WMS® and WAIS®-R subtests and the MMSE™ are presented.

Alternate form facilitates retesting

The DRS-2: Alternate Form reduces the practice effects that can occur with repeated administrations of the DRS-2. The availability of two DRS-2 forms allows for a better characterization of declining cognitive status and an improvement in the evaluation of treatment efficacy.

• The item content and stimuli are structured to mirror those in the DRS-2.
• Reliability between the forms is strong, with a correlation coefficient of .82 for the Total Score and correlation coefficients ranging from .66 to .80 for the subscales.
• Several other studies, including a generalizability study and an equipercentile equating study, were conducted to determine the equivalency between the two forms.

Interpretive software available

The DRS-2:IR provides unlimited scoring and report generation after hand-entry of DRS-2 and DRS-2: Alternate Form responses.

• The software automatically generates age-corrected subscale scores, an age- and education-corrected DRS-2 Total Score, and percentile subscale scores.
• The Interpretive Report describes the client’s overall performance and subtest performance.
• A graphic profile of the client’s current performance (and up to three previous administrations) can be generated.
• Saves valuable time and provides useful documentation to assist in rehabilitative and therapeutic planning.