Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Nursing Home Patients: Factor Structure Invariance of the Dutch Nursing Home Version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory in Different Stages of Dementia

Abstract

The factor structure of the NPI-NH in nursing home patients is consistent with the clinical taxonomy of symptoms, is relatively stable across dementia stages, and is only moderately influenced by psychoactive medication use. The division of depression and apathy into separate behavioural dimensions - also in patients with severe dementia - may have important therapeutic consequences.