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Testing measurement equivalence of neurocognitive assessments across language in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

TitleTesting measurement equivalence of neurocognitive assessments across language in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.
Publication TypePublication
Year2021
AuthorsGoodman ZT, Llabre MM, González HM, Lamar M, Gallo LC, Tarraf W, Perreira KM, López-Cevallos DF, Vásquez PM, Medina LD, Perera MJ, Zeng D, Bainter SA
JournalNeuropsychology
Volume35
Issue4
Pagination423-433
Date Published2021 May
ISSN1931-1559
KeywordsAged, Educational Status, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Health Surveys, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, language, Language Tests, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, psychometrics, Reproducibility of Results, Surveys and Questionnaires, Verbal Learning
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Neuropsychological instruments are often developed in English and translated to other languages to facilitate the clinical evaluation of diverse populations or to utilize in research environments. However, the psychometric equivalence of these assessments across language must be demonstrated before populations can validly be compared.METHOD: To test this equivalence, we applied measurement invariance procedures to a subsample (N = 1,708) of the Hispanic Community Health Survey/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) across English and Spanish versions of a neurocognitive battery. Using cardinality matching, 854 English-speaking and 854 Spanish-speaking subsamples were matched on age, education, sex, immigration status (U.S. born, including territories, or foreign-born), and Hispanic/Latino heritage background. Neurocognitive measures included the Six-Item Screener (SIS), Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (B-SEVLT), Word Fluency (WF), and Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS). Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to test item-level invariance of the SIS, B-SEVLT, and WF, as well as factor-level invariance of a higher-order neurocognitive functioning latent variable.RESULTS: One item of both the SIS and WF were more difficult in Spanish than English, as was the DSS test. After accounting for partial invariance, Spanish-speakers performed worse on each of the subtests and the second-order neurocognitive functioning latent variable.CONCLUSIONS: We found some evidence of bias at both item and factor levels, contributing to the poorer neurocognitive performance of Spanish test-takers. While these results explain the underperformance of Spanish-speakers to some extent, more work is needed to determine whether such bias is reflective of true cognitive differences or additional variables unaccounted for in this study. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

DOI10.1037/neu0000725
Alternate JournalNeuropsychology
PubMed ID34043392
PubMed Central IDPMC8363070
Grant ListT32 HL007426 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65236 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
K01 MH122805 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65234 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65233 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65237 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
/ NH / NIH HHS / United States
N01HC65235 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG062429 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
MS#: 
0833
Manuscript Lead/Corresponding Author Affiliation: 
Field Center: Miami (University of Miami)
ECI: 
Yes
Manuscript Affiliation: 
Field Center: Miami (University of Miami)
Manuscript Status: 
Published