C-28 Raven’s Progressive Matrices: Validation of a Short Form

Abstract

The Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) is a 60-item measure of non-verbal abstract reasoning. The length of the RSPM presents a potential barrier to its use. Consequently, Bilker et al. (2012) identified a 9-item short form (RSPM-SF). The purpose of this study is to (a) provide descriptive statistics for the RSPM-SF from a non-patient sample, and (b) validate the RSPM-SF by exploring correlations with congruent and divergent cognitive measures.Twenty men and 23 women, aged 55 to 83 (M = 67.79), completed a test battery that included the SPM-SF and global, memory, verbal, and executive measures.The mean score for the RSPM-SF was 4.40 (median = 4, mode = 4, SD = 1.92). RSPM-SF correlated best with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (r = .548, CI: .297 to .729) and poorest with letter fluency (r = .065, CI: -.456 to .127). Correlations with executive measures ranged from a low of .308 (Tower Test; CI: .019 to .549) to a high of .470 (Trail Making Test Part-B; CI: .197 to .675). The average correlation with executive scores was .412. Average correlation with learning (both verbal and non-verbal) was .435, and with recall was .296.RSPM historically was viewed as a non-verbal global estimate of cognitive ability. Present findings support using the RSPM-SF as a global measure, as it correlated well with both verbal and nonverbal, and executive and memory tests. Descriptive data suggested that the RSPM-SF items ranged from easy to difficult.