Embargo
Test of memory malingering 2nd edition: normative data from cognitively intact adults living in Spain
(Routledge, 2024-11-05) Arango Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Ayearst, Lindsay E.; Rivera, Diego; Dini, Mia E.; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Ramos Usuga, Daniela; Perrin, Paul B.; McCaffrey, Robert; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
This study evaluated the universality of the TOMM 2 and provided a reference sample of cognitively intact adults living in Spain whose native language was Spanish. A total of 203 adults completed the TOMM 2 from June 2019 to January 2020. When using the original TOMM cutoff scores derived from English speakers, all participants scored in a range that would suggest that they passed the TOMM. When using a cut score less than 40 on Trial 1, only one participant in this study would be mistakenly classified as providing an invalid performance. Spanish-speaking adults in Spain from this study achieved a perfect score on Trial 1 at a rate more than double that of English-speaking individuals on the original TOMM. At the item level, all but one item met the minimum standard for performance validity; this item fell only marginally below the standard at 89%. This study found a very low failure rate for the TOMM 2, suggesting that the second edition has at least as high specificity as the original in Spanish adults.
Open Access
Methodology for the generation of normative data for the U.S. adult Spanish-speaking population: a Bayesian approach
(SAGE, 2024-09-20) Rivera, Diego; Forte, Anabel; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Perrin, Paul B.; Arango Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Objective: To present the methodology for a study generating normative neuropsychological test data for healthy Spanish-speaking adults (18-80 years old) living in the U.S. using Bayesian inference as a novel approach. Method: The study sample consisted of 253 healthy adults from eight U.S. regions (California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin), with individuals originating from a diverse array of Latin American countries. To participate in the study, individuals must have met the following criteria: were between 18 and 80 years of age, had lived in the U.S. for at least 1 year (12 continuous months), self-identified Spanish as their dominant language, had at least one year of formal education, were able to read and write in Spanish at the time of evaluation, scored ¿23 on the Mini-Mental State Examination, scored <10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire¿9, and scored <10 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. Participants completed 12 neuropsychological tests. Reliability statistics and norms were calculated for all tests. Conclusions: This was the first normative study for Spanish-speaking adults in the U.S. to implement demographic, acculturation, and bilingual dominance measures as possible controls. Additionally, it was the first study to use Bayesian linear or generalized linear regression models for generating normative data in neuropsychology.
Open Access
Normative data for tests of visuo-spatial, visuo-constructional skills, and visual memory for Spanish-speaking adults in the United States
(SAGE, 2024-09-17) Morel Valdés, Gloria M.; Rivera, Diego; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Carrión, Carmen I.; Lequerica, Anthony H.; Maltez, Fatima Iyarit; Rodríguez, Miriam J.; Dini, Mia E.; Munoz, Geovani; Ramos Usuga, Daniela; Drago, Christin I.; García, Patricia; Rivera, Patricia M.; Perrin, Paul B.; Arango Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCFT) and the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) are commonly used in clinical practice. The ROCFT measures constructional praxis, visual perception, and visuospatial learning and memory and the CDT assesses for visuospatial, constructional, and executive difficulties. Several neurological disorders are associated with visuospatial and visuoconstructional impairments, yet reliable normative data accounting for sociodemographic aspects of identity and acculturative variables are scarce for Hispanics living in the U.S. Objective: To generate normative data for the ROCF and CDT in a Spanish-speaking adult population living in the U.S. Methods: The sample consisted of 245 participants' cognitively normal adults, recruited from several states in the U.S. Each participant was administered the ROCFT and CDT as part of a larger cognitive battery. The ROCFT and CDT were normed using a Bayesian approach. Age, age, education, sex, acculturation, and language competence, were included as predictors in the analyses. Results: ROCFT was associated with education and age, particularly as they interact with Spanish language competency, and time spent in the U.S. Education was significantly associated with recall abilities and a lower memory recall on the ROCFT. Age was found to vary depending on a person¿s bilingual abilities. Sex did not emerge as a predictor of performance, and it was not moderated by other variables. Conclusions: This is the first study to include acculturation and language proficiency variables in the creation of norms for the assessment of visuoconstruction abilities. This study will have a large impact on the practice of neuropsychology in the U.S.
Open Access
Normative data of neuropsychological tests of attention and executive functions in Ecuadorian adult population
(Routledge, 2021) Rodríguez Lorenzana, Alberto; Ramos Usuga, Daniela; Adana Díaz, Lila; Mascialino, Guido; Rivera, Diego; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Objective: The purpose of this study was to generate normative data for five tests of attention and executive functions (M-WCST, Stroop test, TMT, BTA, and SDMT), in a group of 322 Ecuadorian adults from Quito between the ages of 18 and 85. Method: Multiple regression analyzes taking into account age, education, and gender were used to generate the normative data. Results: Age and education were significantly related to test performance such that scores decreased with age and improved as a function of education. An online calculator is provided to generate normative test scores. Conclusions: This is the first study that presents normative data for tests of executive functions and attention in an Ecuadorian adult population. This data will improve the clinical practice of neuropsychology and help to develop the field in the country.
Open Access
Phonological and semantic verbal fluency test: Scoring criteria and normative data for clustering and switching strategies for Colombian children and adolescents
(Wiley, 2023) Álvarez Medina, María Nazareth; Vergara Moragues, Esperanza; Arango Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Restrepo Moreno, Juan Carlos; Calderón Chagualá, José Amilkar; Rivera, Diego; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Background: Verbal fluency tests (VFT) are highly sensitive to cognitive deficits. Usually, the score on VFT is based on the number of correct words produced, yet it alone gives little information regarding underlying test performance. The implementation of different strategies (cluster and switching) to perform effi-ciently during the tasks provide more valuable information. However, normative data for clustering and switching strategies are scarce. Moreover, scoring criteria adapted to Colombian Spanish are missing. Aims: (1) To describe the Colombian adaptation of the scoring system guidelines for clustering and switching strategies in VFT; (2) to determine its reliability; and (3) to provide normative data for Colombian children and adolescents aged 6–17 years. Methods & Procedures: A total of 691 children and adolescents from Colombia completed phonological (/f/, /a/, /s/, /m/, /r/ and /p/) and semantic (animals and fruits) VFT, and five scores were calculated: total score (TS), number of clusters (NC), cluster size (CS), mean cluster size (MCS) and number of switches (NS). The intraclass correlation coefficient was used for interrater reliability. Hierarhical multiple regressions were conducted to investigate which strategies were associated with VFT TS. Multiple regressions were conducted for each strategy, including as predictors age, age2, sex, mean parents’ education (MPE), MPE2 and type of school, to generate normative data. Outcomes & Results: Reliability indexes were excellent. Age was associated with VFT TS, but weakly compared with strategies. For both VFT TS, NS was the strongest variable, followed by CS and NC. Regarding norms, age was the strongest predictor for all measures, while age2 was relevant for NC (/f/phoneme) and NS (/m/ phoneme). Participants with higher MPE obtained more NC, and NS, and larger CS in several phonemes and categories. Children and adolescents from private school generated more NC, NS and larger CS in /s/phoneme. Conclusions & Implications: This study provides new scoring guidelines and normative data for clustering and switching strategies for Colombian children and adolescents between 6 and 17 years old. Clinical neuropsychologists should include these measures as part of their everyday practice.
Open Access
Treatment effectiveness for male intimate partner violence perpetrators depending on problematic alcohol use
(Elsevier, 2022) Siria Mendaza, Sandra; Fernández-Montalvo, Javier; Echauri, José Antonio; Azkárate, Juana; Martínez, María; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Rivera, Diego; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: Problematic alcohol use (PAU) is highly correlated with intimate partner violence perpetration (IPV). However, when treatments for male IPV perpetrators that address alcohol consumption are evaluated, the results are varied. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to assess the differential long-term effectiveness of a standard individual treatment programme for male IPV perpetrators depending on the presence of PAU. Methods: The sample was composed of 641 male IPV perpetrators who completed a specialized individual treatment programme for gender violence perpetrators. All of the participants were followed for one year after treatment completion. Results: The effects of PAU on treatment success were evaluated by means of multiple logistic regression analyses. The full model was reliable (χ2 = 10.243; df = 3; p = .016), and overall, 88.8% of the predictions were accurate. The findings indicated that the probability of successful treatment does not depend on the presence of PAU. Conclusions: The relationship between IPV perpetration and PAU is highly complex, and several underlying mechanisms should be further evaluated. Accordingly, interventions should not only screen for alcohol consumption but also for all individual characteristics that might necessitate tailored treatment.
Open Access
Spain, the land of diversity
(Routledge, 2022) Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Goméz López, María Jesús; González Wongvalle, Isabel; Rivera, Diego; Arango Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
The aim of this chapter is to present relevant cultural aspects that a neuropsychologist should take into account in order to provide adequate service to Spanish patients and their families. In the first section, there is an introduction to the Spanish culture, which is linked to small case studies that reflect its relevance from a neuropsychological point of view. Spain is culturally complex, with different regions that maintain their own traditions and languages. For Spaniards, social relationships and family are so important that patients may prioritize some rehabilitation goals against others in order to recover their social functioning. Likewise, the complex relationship between languages and education is presented, as well as the educational and socioeconomic level of the country. In the second section, the importance of social relationships and the role of the family in the neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation, as well as the context in which the patient lives, are explored closely through RJ case. Finally, the chapter ends with a summary of the most relevant ideas to consider when assessing a Spanish patient.
Open Access
Factor structure of the 10-item CES-D scale among patients with persistent COVID-19
(Wiley, 2022) Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Rivera, Diego; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
The presence of persistent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might beassociated with significant levels of psychological distress that would meet thethreshold for clinical relevance. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies DepressionScale (CES-D) version 10 has been widely used in assessing psychological distressamong general and clinical populations from different cultural backgrounds. To ourknowledge, however, researchers have not yet validated these findings amongpatients with persistent COVID-19. A cross-sectional validation study wasconducted with 100 patients from the EXER-COVID project (69.8% women;mean (±standard deviation) ages: 47.4 ± 9.5 years). Confirmatory factor analyses(CFAs) were performed on the 10-item CES-D to test four model fits: (a)unidimensional model, (b) two-factor correlated model, (c) three-factor correlatedmodel, and (d) second-order factor model. The diagonal-weighted least-squares estimator was used, as it is commonly applied to latent variable modelswith ordered categorical variables. The reliability indices of the 10-item CES-D in patients with persistent COVID-19 were as follows: depressive affect factor(α=0.82Ord;ω=0.78u−cat), somatic retardation factor (α=0.78Ord;ω=0.56u−cat),and positive affect factor (α=0.56Ord;ω=0.55u−cat). The second‐order model fitshowed good Omega reliability (ω=0.87ho). Regarding CFAs, the unidimensional‐factor model shows poor goodness of fit, especially residuals analysis (root meansquare error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.081 [95% confidence interval,CI = 0.040–0.119]; standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.101). The two‐factor correlated model, three‐factor correlated model, and second‐order factormodel showed adequate goodness of fit, and theχ2difference test (∆X2) did not show significant differences between the goodness of fit for these models(∆X= 4.11282;p= 0.127). Several indices showed a good fit with the three‐factor correlated model: goodness‐of‐fit index = 0.974, comparative fit index = 0.990,relative noncentrality index = 0.990, and incremental fit index = 0.990, which were all above 0.95, the traditional cut‐off establishing adequate fit. On the other hand RMSEA = 0.049 (95% CI = 0.000–0.095), where an RMSEA < 0.06–0.08 indicates anadequate fit. Item loadings on the factors were statistically significant (λ≥0.449j;p's < 0.001), indicating that the items loaded correctly on the corresponding factors and the relationship between factors (φ≥0.382;p's≤0.001. To our knowledge, thisis the first study to provide validity and reliability to 10‐item CES‐D in a persistentCOVID‐19 Spanish patient sample. The validation and reliability of this shortscreening tool allow us to increase the chance of obtaining complete data in aparticular patient profile with increased fatigue and brain fog that limit patients' capacity to complete questionnaires.
Open Access
Analysis of the psychometric properties of the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) in Colombian adolescents
(Universidad Miguel Hernández, 2023) Javela, José Julián; Bahamón, Marly Johana; Rivera, Diego; González-Reyes, Rodrigo E.; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Análisis de las propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario de agresividad (AQ) de Buss y Perry en adolescentes colombianos. Las propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario de agresión Buss y Perry AQ, uno de los cuestionarios más utilizados mundialmente para medir la conducta agresiva, fue examinado en una muestra de adolescentes (n=779 participantes) de las ciudades de Barranquilla (n= 410) y Pereira (n= 369), en Colombia. En total, 752 participantes (edad media de 15,3 años, DE = 1,9; 57,4%. mujeres y 42,6 hombres) completaron el cuestionario AQ de Buss y Perry. Posteriormente, se evaluó la normalidad univariante y multivariante de los ítems, y se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC) sobre el conjunto de datos. Asimismo, se evaluó el ajuste de dos modelos, un modelo multidimensional a priori, y un modelo con un factor de segundo orden (conducta agresiva), que podría explicar la varianza de los ítems. Por último, se identificaron los índices de fiabilidad del cuestionario. Los resultados mostraron índices de bondad de ajuste aceptables (X2/df = 2,29, CFI = .977, IFI = .977, GFI = .984, AGFI = .979, RNI = .984, NFI = .972, RMSEA de .047 [90% CI = .016 - .036] y SRMR = .059) para el modelo de un factor de segundo orden, así como índices de fiabilidad aceptables (α= .55 - .88). En conclusión, estos resultados muestran que la escala puede ser aplicable a preadolescentes y adolescentes colombianos, pero advierten de las limitaciones de su uso para la subescala de no agresión. No obstante, se sugiere la aplicación de la escala en su versión original para determinar su comportamiento psicométrico.
Open Access
Multivariate base rates of low scores on tests of executive functions in a multi-country Latin American sample
(Routledge, 2021) Rivera, Diego; Mascialino, Guido; Brooks, Brian L.; Olabarrieta Landa, Laiene; Longoni, Melina; Galarza-Del-Ángel, Javier; Arango Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of low scores in a diverse Latin American population for two neuropsychological commonly used tests to evaluate executive functions and to compare the number of low scores obtained using normative data from a Spanish-speaking population from Latin America versus an English-speaking population from U.S.A. Healthy adults (N = 5402) were administered the Modiﬁed Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Stroop Color-Word. Low scores on measures of executive functioning are common. Clinicians working with Spanish-speaking adults should take into account the higher probability of low scores on these measures to reduce false-positive diagnoses of cognitive deficits in an individual.