Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society

Table of Contents - 2005 - Volume , Issue 05  


Criterion-referenced validity of a neuropsychological test battery: Equivalent performance in elderly Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites

DAN  MUNGAS  a1 a2 c1 , BRUCE R.  REED  a1 a2 , SARAH TOMASZEWSKI  FARIAS  a1 and CHARLES  DECARLI  a1 a2
a1 Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
a2 Veterans Administration Northern California Health Care System, Martinez, California

Article author query
mungas d   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
reed br   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
farias st   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
decarli c   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

This study examined the validity of the Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales (SENAS) in comparison with clinical diagnosis of normal cognition versus cognitive impairment, not demented (CIND) versus demented in elderly Hispanics and Whites. Relationships between SENAS scales and diagnosis were essentially the same in Hispanics and Whites. Verbal memory measures were most strongly related, with more than 35% of the variance in these measures accounted for by diagnosis independent of effects of education, age, gender, and language. Diagnosis accounted for more than 10% of the variance (19% on average) in 11 of the 17 measures examined in this study. Logistic regressions showed that verbal memory was important both for distinguishing normal from CIND and CIND from demented. Object naming improved discrimination of CIND from demented beyond that of verbal memory alone. These results provide evidence of equivalent validity across Hispanics and Whites. (JINS, 2005, 11, 620–630.)

(Received January 19 2005)
(Revised May 16 2005)
(Accepted May 19 2005)


Key Words: Neuropsychological assessment; Ethnic groups; Cognitive impairment; Dementia; Early diagnosis; Cognition.

Correspondence:
c1 Reprint requests to: Dan Mungas, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Department of Neurology, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3700, Sacramento, CA 95817. E-mail: dmmungas@ucdavis.edu

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