Normative data for verbal fluency and naming tests in Spanish-speaking adults in the United States

Abstract

Background: Linguistic deficits are common across neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Currently there are limited neuropsychological norms available for Spanish-speaking adults residing in the U.S.

Objective: To generate norms for two verbal fluency tests and the Boston Naming Test (BNT) in a Spanish-speaking population in the U.S., with adjustments for demographic and cultural variables.

Methods: The sample consisted of 245 adults from the U.S. Participants completed phonological and semantic verbal fluency tests and the BNT. A standardized four-step statistical procedure was used.

Results: For the phoneme F, interactions between Spanish proficiency, age, and education arose. Better performance on phonemes A, S, and M was related to education. Spanish proficiency, acculturation, and time in the U.S. were associated with the phonemes S, A, P, M, and R. An age by education interaction was found for phonemes M and R. The FAS and PMR triads were related to age, sex, time in U.S., and Spanish proficiency. For the semantic verbal fluency tests, an interaction between education and Spanish proficiency arose. For the BNT, test scores were related to education, and significant interactions were also found based on education's interaction with Spanish proficiency and acculturation.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of accounting for sociodemographic and acculturative factors when developing normative data for verbal fluency tests and the BNT for dominant Spanish-speaking adults in the U.S. These sociodemographically-adjusted norms will help improve accuracy of diagnosis and interpretation of linguistic test performance in Spanish speakers living in the U.S.

Keywords: Bayesian inference; Boston Naming Test; Hispanic; Verbal fluency; normative data.