From Laboratory to Real Life: Psychometric Properties of a VR-Based Ecological Memory Assessment Tool

The early identification of subtle cognitive decline is crucial for preventing neurodegenerative disorders, yet traditional neuropsychological assessments often lack ecological validity. We developed the Virtual Memory Ecological Battery (V-MEB), a novel VR-based assessment tool comprising seven interconnected subtests that evaluate multiple memory domains through immersive, everyday-life scenarios. This study examined the psychometric properties of the V-MEB in 82 participants including cognitively healthy individuals, those with borderline functioning, and mild cognitive impairment patients. Participants completed both traditional neuropsychological measures and the V-MEB using a Meta Quest 3 headset. Exploratory factor analysis of 17 continuous V-MEB performance measures, guided by parallel analysis, revealed a robust two-factor structure. Factor 1 (Spatial-Temporal Efficiency) demonstrated excellent convergent validity with established measures and good internal consistency (α=0.713). Factor 2 (Procedural Learning Strategies) showed selective correlations only with executive functioning measures, indicating unique assessment capabilities not captured by traditional tests. Strong correlations between V-MEB factors and prospective memory performance supported ecological validity. The V-MEB successfully operationalizes distinct cognitive domains through ecologically valid VR scenarios, offering both convergent assessment of established abilities and novel evaluation of procedural learning strategies. These findings support the V-MEB as a promising complement to traditional neuropsychological assessment with enhanced ecological validity.