Unsupervised Digital Cognitive and Functional Assessment and Training: Is There a Potential Impact of The Lack of Human Contact?

This peer-reviewed review examines a central tradeoff in the rapid shift from examiner-led cognitive and functional assessment to fully digital, self-administered systems. Digital delivery can broaden access, reduce administration burden, support remote and repeated measurement, and automate scoring and data capture. At the same time, the authors consider what may be lost when an examiner or trainer is no longer present, including opportunities for clarification, encouragement, observation, and engagement. The paper treats these issues as design and validation questions that can be addressed as digital systems mature.

The LASSI is used as a concrete example of productive digital migration. The progression from the examiner-administered LASSI-L cognitive challenge test to the self-administered LASSI-D™ illustrates how a measure designed to detect vulnerability to semantic interference can be made more scalable and standardized. Positively, the review presents LASSI-D™ as a promising route to wider and more efficient cognitive assessment while underscoring the value of clear instructions, usability support, careful validation, and thoughtful decisions about when human contact should remain part of the assessment pathway.