A pilot study of the sensitivity and specificity analysis of the standard-Spanish version of the Culture-Fair Assessment of Neurocognitive Abilities and the Examen Cognoscitivo Mini-Mental in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

This pilot study purports to address the need for culturally validated, evidence-based assessments and to serve as a springboard for future culturally sensitive research. This study was conducted in the Dominican Republic. It entailed counterbalanced administration of a standard Spanish translation of the Culture-Fair Assessment of Neurocognitive Abilities (S-S CANA) and the standard Spanish translation of the Mini-Mental State Examination (Examen Cognoscitivo Mini-Mental; ECM-M). The sample was composed of 30 Spanish-speaking Dominican adults who met the inclusion criteria for the normative and clinical groups. In an effort to initiate the validation process for the S-S CANA, as well as norm it to the given population, the efficacy of the S-S CANA in determining neuropathology was then compared to that of the ECM-M. Analyses of variance and covariance and t-tests were conducted, and a receiver-operating characteristic curve was computed. Results indicated significantly greater sensitivity and specificity of the S-S CANA relative to the ECM-M.