scholarly journals Demographically-Corrected Norms for the Grooved Pegboard Test and Finger Tapping Test in monolingual Spanish speakers from the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1256-1256
Author(s):  
A Heaton ◽  
A Gooding ◽  
M Cherner ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
D Franklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Finger Tapping ◽  
Fine Motor ◽  
Hispanic Population ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Motor Test ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Finger Tapping Test ◽  
Grooved Pegboard Test

Abstract Objective We developed demographically-corrected norms for US-dwelling, Spanish-speaking Hispanics on two widely used tests of motor skills - the Grooved Pegboard Test (Pegs) and Finger Tapping Test (Tapping). We then examined the effects of applying established norms for non-Hispanic Caucasians (NH Whites) and non-Hispanic African Americans (NH Blacks) on motor test results from our Hispanic population. Participants and Method 254 participants living in the US-Mexico border region of San Diego, CA and Tucson, AZ completed Pegs, and a subset (n = 183) completed Tapping. Age ranged from 19-60 and education from 0-20 years, with 59% women. Raw test scores were converted to demographically-corrected T-scores with a fractional polynomial procedure and compared to a fitted curve for the original data. Results Findings included significant main effects of education on both tests (p < .001), and of age for Pegs (p < .001). There was a significant interaction of sex and age on Tapping, such that older age was associated with lower scores in men only (p = .02). The resulting normative T-scores were confirmed to be free from demographic influences. Using a T < 40 cut point, rates of impairment in the Spanish speaking normative sample for dominant (D) and nondominant (ND) hands, respectively, were 17% and 14% for Pegs, and 12% and 10% for Tapping. Applying existing norms for NH Whites and NH Blacks to the raw scores of Spanish speakers generally yielded lower impairment rates on all measures, with one exception, Pegs ND, for which NH White norms overestimated impairment (23%). Conclusions Normative standards from other groups are not a good fit for interpreting motor test performance in this Hispanic population, which in the current instance would have generally underdiagnosed fine motor impairment. These findings underscore the importance of appropriate, population-specific normative data- even for tests of motor ability.

scholarly journals Neurocognitive Impairment in Spanish-Speaking Latinos Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the United States: Validation of Neuropsychological Tests Norms

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1259-1259
Author(s):  
L Kamalyan ◽  
M A Hussain ◽  
M M Diaz ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
D R Franklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
The United States ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairment ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Speed Of Information Processing ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Us ◽  
Mexico Border

Abstract Objective Latinos in the US are at increased risk for HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Yet, most studies in this group have included English-speakers only. We investigated the rate and pattern of HIV-associated NCI in Spanish-speaking Latinos from the US-Mexico border region by utilizing newly developed norms for this group, and compared it to previously published norms for English-speaking non-Latino Whites and Blacks/African Americans. Participants and Method Participants included 153 HIV+ Spanish-speaking Latinos (Age: M = 38.2, SD = 9.7; Education: M = 10.9, SD = 3.6; 27% female; 56% AIDS) living in the greater San Diego area. Participants completed comprehensive neuropsychological, neuromedical and psychiatric assessments in Spanish. The neuropsychological test battery employed in this study - and used extensively in prior studies of HIV- assesses seven ability domains. Raw test scores were converted to demographically-adjusted T-scores using regional norms for Spanish-speakers, and for non-Latino Whites and Blacks. NCI was defined per established criteria. Results Rate of global NCI was 39% using norms for Spanish-speaking Latinos, compared to 64% with White norms and 18% with Black norms. Using norms for Spanish speakers, domain specific NCI among those impaired was highest in executive function (68%), speed of information processing (65%), learning (51%), and working memory (50%). The pattern of HIV associated NCI varied when norms developed for non-Latino Whites and Blacks were used. Conclusions HIV+ Spanish speakers showed similar rates of global NCI to those in other HIV+ populations, when norms developed for this group were used. In contrast, use of non-Latino White and Black norms resulted in misclassification of impairment. The pattern of NCI differed based on the norms used. Present findings highlight the importance of utilizing norms developed for Spanish-speakers in the US in order to obtain more precise and valid depictions of cognition in this population.

scholarly journals Normative Data for Selected Subtests of the WAIS-R in a Spanish-Speaking Adult Population Living in the U.S. – Mexico Border Region

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1274-1274
Author(s):  
T Scott ◽  
A Morlett Paredes ◽  
M Taylor ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
L Artiola i Fortuny ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Normative Data ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Adult Intelligence Scale ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
The Us ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Us Mexico Border

Abstract Objective Adaptations of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised (WAIS-R) and accompanying norms exist for a limited number of Spanish-speaking populations, but none are available for US-dwelling Spanish speakers of Mexican origin, who make up the largest proportion of Latinas/os in the US. As part of a larger test adaptation and norming effort for Spanish-speakers from the US-Mexico border region, we generated and investigated demographically adjusted interpretive norms for selected WAIS-R subtests. Participants and Method Participants included 183 community-dwelling, primarily Spanish-speaking individuals, aged 20 to 55 (education range: 0-20 years; 58% female), who were residing in the US-Mexico border region. Participants completed the WAIS-R Spanish version (Block Design, Arithmetic, and Vocabulary subtests) as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. Demographically adjusted T-scores were calculated for these subtests using fractional polynomial equations, which controlled for age, education, and sex. We examined rates of neurocognitive impairment (T < 40) in our sample derived from the present demographically adjusted Spanish speaking norms and from the existing WAIS-R demographically adjusted norms for English-speaking Non-Latina/o White and Black adults. Results Based on the normalized distribution of T-scores, the newly developed regional Spanish-speaker norms yielded subtest rates of impaired performance between 13-16% (i.e., within the expected -1 SD). By comparison, the proportion of impaired subtest performances was between 4-6% when applying the existing English-speaking norms to our sample. Conclusions Regional normative data will improve interpretation of test performance on selected WAIS-R subtests for Spanish-speakers living in the US and will facilitate a more valid analysis of neuropsychological profile patterns in this population. Cross-validation with Spanish-speakers in other regions and/or with other national origins is needed.

scholarly journals Normative Data for the Halstead Category Test in a Spanish-Speaking Adult Population Living in the U.S./México Border Region

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1265-1265
Author(s):  
A Morlett Paredes ◽  
J Carrasco ◽  
M Cherner ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
M Rivera Mindt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Category Test ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Halstead Category Test ◽  
The Us ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Us Mexico Border

Abstract Objective To provide norms applicable to Spanish-speakers living in the US- Mexico border region for the Halstead Category Test, a test of executive function. Participants and Method Healthy Spanish-speakers (n = 252) were recruited from the US–Mexico border regions (Age: M = 37.3, SD = 10.2, range 19-60; Education: M = 10.7, SD = 4.3, range 0-20; 58% female). Participants completed the Category Test as part of a larger neuropsychological test battery. Relationships between demographic variables and raw error scores were assessed using Spearman and Wilcoxon Rank-sum tests. Demographically corrected T-scores for the Category Test were normed using fractional polynomial equations accounting for age, education, and sex. For comparison, T-scores were also computed for the Spanish-speaking normative sample using published norms for English-speaking non-Hispanic Whites and African Americans, which were also adjusted for age, education and sex. Impairment rates based on -1SD (T < 40) were calculated using both, published and current, norms. Results Older age was significantly associated with higher number of errors (Spearman ρ = 0.32, p < .001) and higher education was associated with lower number of errors (Spearman ρ = -0.52, p < .001), with no other significant demographic effects. Applying non-Hispanic norms resulted in overestimation of impairment rates in the Spanish-speaking sample (impairment rate: 48% with White norms and 27% with African American norms). This pattern was evident across levels of education except in participants with 13+ years of education, where rates of impairment using African American norms were comparable to those based on the newly developed norms. Conclusions The present study is the first to develop norms for the Category test in a sample of Spanish-speakers in the US-Mexico border region. These norms will provide tools for the assessment of executive function in this population. Research concerning generalizability of norms to other Spanish-speaking populations is needed.

scholarly journals Predictors of Neurocognitive Impairment in Spanish-Speaking Latinos Living with HIV in the United States using Newly Developed Neuropsychological Test Norms

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1257-1257
Author(s):  
M A Hussain ◽  
L Kamalyan ◽  
M M Diaz ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
D R Franklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Neuropsychological Test ◽  
The United States ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairment ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Hiv Disease ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Living With Hiv

Abstract Objective HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (NCI) is prevalent and impactful. Yet, there is an absence of published studies that investigate its correlates among Spanish-speaking Latinos living in mainland US- a demographic that represents a large and vulnerable segment of the HIV+ population. The goal of the current study was to examine predictors of NCI among Spanish-speaking Latinos with HIV living in the United States. Participants and Method 153 Spanish-speaking Latinos living with HIV from the US-Mexico border region (Age: M = 38.2, SD = 9.7; Education: M = 10.9, SD = 3.6; 73% female; 56% AIDS) completed comprehensive neuropsychological, neuromedical, and psychiatric evaluations in Spanish. Scores across 7 cognitive domains were converted to a Global Deficit Score (GDS) based on T-scores on individual tests using newly developed, region specific, and demographically-corrected norms for Spanish-speaking Latinos. NCI was determined using cutoff of GDS > 0.5 (39.2% of sample). Examined predictors included HIV disease characteristics (e.g., AIDS status, current CD4 count, duration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) exposure) and psychiatric comorbidities. Results A multivariable logistic regression - including predictors that were associated with NCI in univariable analyses - showed a significant interaction between lifetime history of substance use disorder (LT SUD) and duration of ART exposure, after accounting for AIDS status (LR Chi2 = 3.99, p = 0.046). Stratified analyses showed that among participants who did not have LT SUD, longer ART exposure was associated with decreased NCI (p = 0.01), while rates of NCI among those with LT SUD were not influenced by months of ART exposure (p = 0.91). Conclusions Present findings showed that HIV disease burden and psychiatric characteristics might interact to impact NCI among Spanish-speaking Latinos. Considering these influences may help in the provision of comprehensive care to Spanish-speaking, Latino minority groups that suffer from NCI and HIV.

scholarly journals Demographically Adjusted Norms for the Trail Making Test in Native Spanish Speakers from the U.S.-Mexico the U.S.-Mexico Border Region.

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 857-857
Author(s):  
P Suarez ◽  
M Diaz-Santos ◽  
M Marquine ◽  
A Umlauf ◽  
D Franklin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Trail Making Test ◽  
Native Spanish Speakers ◽  
Fractional Polynomial ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Objective Despite the wide use of the Trail Making Test when assessing Spanish-speakers in the United States (US), there is a lack of normative data to interpret level of performance in this population. Here we describe the generation of regional norms for the Trail Making Test for native Spanish-speakers residing in the Southwest Mexico-Border Region of US. Method Participants were 252 healthy native Spanish speakers, 58% women, between the ages of 19 and 60, and ranging in education from 0-20 years, recruited in San Diego, CA and Tucson, AZ. All received instructions translated into Spanish. Demographic effects on test performance were examined univariably. T-scores were calculated using fractional polynomial equations to account for linear and any non-linear effects of age, education, and sex. Results Older age and lower education were associated with worse scores on both Trails A and Trails B. The newly derived T-Scores showed no association with demographic variables and displayed the expected 16% rates of impairment using a -1 SD cutpoint based on a normal distribution. By comparison, published norms for English-speaking non-Hispanic whites yielded impairment rates of 28% for Trails A and 35% for Trails B while norms for African Americans resulted in 18 % impairment for Trails A and 20% impairment for Trails B. Conclusions Demographically adjusted regional norms improve the utility and diagnostic accuracy of the TMT for use with native Spanish speakers in the US-Mexico Border region.

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