Performance of Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery: the roles of ethnicity and language backgrounds. Issue 4 (19th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Flores, Ilse; Casaletto, Kaitlin B.; Marquine, Maria J.; Umlauf, Anya; Moore, David J.; Mungas, Dan; Gershon, Richard C.; Beaumont, Jennifer L.; Heaton, Robert K.
• Is Part Of: Clinical neuropsychologist. Volume 31:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 783
• Page End: 797
• Publication Date: 2017-05-19
• Subjects: Acculturation -- cultural aspects -- cognition -- toolbox -- language; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Mental Disorders -- Periodicals; 612.805
• DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2016.1276216
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1385-4046

Abstract

Abstract: Objective : This study examined the influence of Hispanic ethnicity and language/cultural background on performance on the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB).Method : Participants included healthy, primarily English-speaking Hispanic ( n = 93; Hispanic-English), primarily Spanish-speaking Hispanic ( n = 93; Hispanic-Spanish), and English speaking Non-Hispanic white ( n = 93; NH white) adults matched on age, sex, and education levels. All participants were in the NIH Toolbox national norming project and completed the Fluid and Crystallized components of the NIHTB-CB. T -scores (demographically-unadjusted) were developed based on the current sample and were used in analyses.Results : Spanish-speaking Hispanics performed worse than English-speaking Hispanics and NH whites on demographically unadjusted NIHTB-CB Fluid Composite scores ( ps < .01). Results on individual measures comprising the Fluid Composite showed significant group differences on tests of executive inhibitory control ( p = .001), processing speed ( p = .003), and working memory ( p < .001), but not on tests of cognitive flexibility or episodic memory. Test performances were associated with language/cultural backgrounds in the Hispanic-Spanish group: better vocabularies and reading were predicted by being born outside the U.S., having Spanish as a first language, attending school outside the U.S., and speaking more Spanish at home. However, many of these same background factors were associated with worse Fluid Composites within the Hispanic-Spanish group.Conclusions : On tests of Fluid cognition, the Hispanic-Spanish group performed the poorest of all groups. Socio-demographic and linguistic factors were associated with those differences. These findings highlight the importance of considering language/cultural backgrounds when interpreting neuropsychological test performances. Importantly, after applying previously published NIHTB-CB norms with demographic corrections, these language/ethnic group differences are eliminated.