Article alert: Neuropsychological test performance of Spanish speakers: Is performance different across different Spanish-speaking subgroups?

PT J
AU Bure-Reyes, A
Hidalgo-Ruzzante, N
Vilar-Lopez, R
Gontier, J
Sanchez, L
Perez-Garcia, M
Puente, AE
AF Bure-Reyes, Annelly
Hidalgo-Ruzzante, Natalia
Vilar-Lopez, Raquel
Gontier, Javier
Sanchez, Laura
Perez-Garcia, Miguel
Puente, Antonio E.
TI Neuropsychological test performance of Spanish speakers: Is performance
different across different Spanish-speaking subgroups?
SO JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
AB Even though theories and research have pointed out the importance of
variables such as age, gender, or education on neuropsychological
assessment, much less emphasis has been placed on language and culture.
With the increasing population of Spanish speakers in North America and
the limited amount of clinical and scholarly information currently
available, neuropsychological assessment of this group has similarly
become of increasing importance. Though several studies have been
published over the last two decades, an assumption exists that all
Spanish speakers, holding education and age constant, would perform
similarly regardless of their origin. To address this assumption, a
sample of 126 participants was tested from four different countries
(Chile, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Spain). Participants were
compared on the following commonly used neuropsychological tests: Verbal
Serial Learning Curve, Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Verbal
Phonemic Fluency Test, the Stroop Color and Word Test, and the Trail
Making Test. Analyses revealed significant differences across the groups
in two of the five tests administered. Significant differences were
observed in the delayed recall of the Serial Learning Test and in the
Verbal Fluency Test. The findings highlight the importance of
within-group differences between Spanish speakers.
PD APR
PY 2013
VL 35
IS 4
BP 404
EP 412
ER