Performance on a German version of the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) was investigated for 64 juvenile patients who were subdivided in 6 clinical groups. In addition to standard evaluation of AVLT protocols which is usually confined to items recalled correctly, an error analysis was performed. Differentiating between total errors (TE), repetition errors (RE), and misnamings (ME), substantial differences between clinical groups could be demonstrated. It is argued that error analysis of verbal memory and learning enriches the understanding of neuropsychological syndromes, and provides additional information for diagnostic and clinical use. Thus, it is possible to gain a more accurate picture so that patients can be appropriately retrained, and research into the functional causes of memory and learning disorders can be intensified.
