67 Are these familiar words? Analyzing the utility of a new Spanish verbal memory test for children in North Texas
Authors: Orobio Jessica , Saenz Monica Garza , Hernandez Ana , Canas Angela , Edgar Veronica Bordes , McCreary Morgan , Harder Lana , Neumann Joy 
Published: December 2023

Objective:

The American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology’s (AACN) Relevance 2050 Initiative goals highlight the need for new assessment methods that are inclusive of the rising heterogeneous population in the US. In 2022, the Texas Education Agency reported that approximately 20% of the student population in Texas public schools are English learners (ELs), and approximately 90% of them are Spanish-speaking. In an effort to address the need for more Spanish cognitive measures normed in the US, a pediatric neuropsychology research team in North Dallas developed the Spanish Verbal Memory Test for Children (SVMT-C). To assist with establishing its validity, this study aims to corroborate that the words chosen for the list are familiar to children of different cultural backgrounds in North Texas.

Participants and Methods:

Enrollment of healthy, Spanish-speaking children between 6.0 and 17.11 years old within the Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) metroplex began in January 2022 and continues to date. Study participation entails completing an in-person testing session with the child, while the parent/legal guardian completes a word-related survey along with other forms. The parent survey asks parents to indicate their child’s knowledge of 45 words (15 are target words). The testing session with the child includes completion of several cognitive tests (e.g., SVMT-C, EOWPVT-4:SBE) and a posttest survey that measures the child’s knowledge of the target words on the SVMT-C. The EOWPVT-4:SBE was used to estimate vocabulary level in Spanish to support proficiency determinations.

Results:

To date, 23 parent-child dyads have participated in the study, and 7 different countries of origin are represented in the overall sample. Data of children who earned SS<85 in Spanish on the vocabulary test were omitted, leaving the pediatric sample at n=20. Ages ranged between 6.2 and 15.2 years old. Eighteen children were bilingual, one was monolingual, and one was multilingual. Only Spanish-speaking parents completed the Spanish Verbal Memory Test Survey, leaving the parent sample at n=21. The child survey revealed that 95% of the children (19 of 20) knew all 15 target words; only one 6-year-old child did not know a word, which contradicted their parent’s report. The parent survey revealed that 90% of parents reported their child knew all 15 target words and 100% of parents reported their child knew 14 of 15 words; only two parents (19 of 21) were unsure if their child knew one of the words but the child then earned a score of 100% on their survey.

Conclusions:

Creating a verbal memory measure in Spanish for use in the US presents a set of unique challenges because of the variability in terminology that exists in the language. Lack of familiarity with terminology may influence performance and invalidate results. In this endeavor, the goal was to recognize these nuances and create a relevant measure that uses common words for Spanish-speaking children regardless of cultural background. Thus far, the data supports the appropriateness of the words listed in the SVMT-C with a 100% familiarity rate among children ages 7 to 15 years old.