Attention and processing speed tests: Normative data for Spanish-speaking adults in the United States

Issue title: Newly Developed Neuropsychological Norms for the Evaluation of Spanish-Speaking Adults in the United States

Guest editors: Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla and Diego Rivera

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Carrión, Carmen I.^a | Rivera, Diego^{b; c} | Forte, Anabel^d | Olabarrieta-Landa, Laiene^{b; c} | Moreno, Oswaldo^e | Usuga, Daniela Ramos^f | Morel Valdés, Gloria M.^g | López, Melisa^h | Rodriguez, Miriam J.^{i; j} | Lequerica, Anthony H.^{k; l} | Drago, Christin I.^m | García, Patricia^{n; o} | Rivera, Patricia M.^p | Perrin, Paul B.^{q; r} | Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos^{e; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA | [b] Department of Health Science, Public University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain | [c] Instituto de Investigacióanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain | [d] Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain | [e] Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA | [f] Biomedical Research Doctorate Program, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain | [g] Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA | [h] The Chicago School, Los Angeles, CA, USA | [i] Clinical Psychology Program, Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus, Miami, FL, USA | [j] Department of Health and Wellness Design, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA | [k] Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Kessler Foundation, East Hanover, NJ, USA | [l] Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA | [m] Global Wellness LLC, Miami, FL, USA | [n] Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA | [o] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA | [p] Mental Health Department – Neuropsychology, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR, USA | [q] School of Data Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA | [r] Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla, PhD, Department of Psychology. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA. E-mail: jcalasprilla@gmail.com.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Hispanics/Latinos are the largest racial/ethnic group among underrepresented populations in the U.S. and multiple sociodemographic, cultural, and linguistic factors have been found to impact their performances on cognitive testing. Despite this, few normative data are available for the heterogeneous Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. OBJECTIVE:To generate normative data on the Trail-Making Test (TMT), Bells Test, Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and the Brief Test of Attention (BTA) for Spanish speakers residing in the U.S. METHODS:The sample included 245 Spanish-speaking individuals aged 18– 80 from eight states across the U.S. (California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin). Participants were administered attention and processing speed measures as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. We used a Bayesian regression approach to estimate normative data, including covariates found to be important for predicting performances on measures of attention and processing speed. RESULTS:Sociodemographic factors including education, time in the U.S., acculturation, age, and/or sex had differential effects on the TMT-A, TMT-B, SDMT, and the BTA whereas the Bells Test was not influenced by any of these sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSION:Our findings indicate that while sex, age, and educational attainment are important factors to consider, language and acculturation can also influence attention and processing speed performances among Spanish speakers in the U.S.

Keywords: Acculturation, cultural diversity, hispanic or latino, attention, processing speed, symbol digit modalities test, trail making test, neuropsychological tests

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-240086

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 169-182, 2024