An Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of the Farsi Version of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Examination

Introduction: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) examination, marking the first such investigation. Methods: The sample comprised 200 participants: 75 with normal cognition, 74 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 51 with dementia. Concurrent validity was assessed using the MMSE and NUCOG; divergent validity employed the GDS-15. Results: Exploratory factor analysis showed a unidimensional structure. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .719) and test–retest reliability (ICC = .717) were satisfactory. SLUMS correlated highly with MMSE (r = .787) and NUCOG (r = .861), but moderately with GDS-15 (r = -.376). It effectively discriminated dementia from MCI but showed limited ability to differentiate normal cognition from MCI. Conclusion: The Persian SLUMS is a suitable screening tool for detecting dementia, though caution is advised when distinguishing MCI from normal cognition.