| Symposium | Symposia 13 Program Schedule
02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:55 pm
Room: West Side Ballroom - Salon 1
Symposia 13: Neuropsychological Research and Clinical Applications with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations
Simposium #2
Neuropsychology practice with Arabic speakers: Insights from a systematic review and practical gems from clinical experience
Seima Al-Momani, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, United States
Ahmed Alhassan, University of Alabama, Birmingham, United States
Madumitha Parthasarathy, Dubai British School, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Leena Saaid, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
Aimee Karstens, Mayo Clinic, Chicago, United States
Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience
Keyword 1: cross-cultural issues
Keyword 2: language: second/foreign
Keyword 3: normative data
Objective:
Arabic is a national language for 26 countries/territories and the Arab diaspora is estimated to include over 20 million people. Capacity for providing neuropsychological assessments to Arabic speaking populations is limited. Recent reviews have described the availability of numerous neuropsychological and psychological assessments translated or adapted for the Arabic language, however, practical gaps in knowledge for evaluating this heterogeneous population remains. Further, new neuropsychological tools (tests, normative data) have become available. We conducted a systematic review of the neuropsychological assessment tools developed or adapted for the Arabic language. As a component of this larger review, this presentation will discuss select measures in the context of clinical practice with adults.
Participants and Methods:
A comprehensive search of several databases was performed on June 29, 2022 by a medical center librarian. Key words relevant to Arabic populations (e.g., Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia), neuropsychological methods (e.g., validation, psychometric), and cognitive domains (e.g., memory, language, executive functioning). Results were limited to Arabic, English or French languages. Abstracts were evaluated for the following inclusion criteria: 1) articles, chapters, or dissertations involving Arabic cognitive, behavioral, or psychological test development, adaptation, administration, psychometric properties validation, normative data studies 2) publication after 2002, 3) sufficient information regarding methodology (e.g., participant characteristics, translation/adaptation). All abstracts underwent exclusionary review, followed by a more thorough review of full manuscripts to be cataloged by the research team.
Results:
3,775 abstracts were reviewed and organized by country/dialect of the sample, test(s), and methodology. Specific tools and consideration for use with patients will be discussed from the quality of the translation/adaptation, potential usability across regions/dialects, reliability, validity and normative data. For example, there have been numerous adaptations of verbal list learning tests (Arabic versions of AVLT, HVLT, CVLT) and verbal fluency tests (lexical, category). Fixed batteries designed for specific neurological conditions (e.g., Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis) that may be used clinically will be discussed. Additional considerations for clinicians related to patient background (e.g., cultural, linguistic, and sociopolitical) and test administration (e.g., interpreter assistance) will also be discussed in context.
Conclusions:
To date, capacity for neuropsychology with Arabic speakers has been limited. The influx of interest in screening for dementia and assessing cognitive functions in the Arab world offers an opportunity to improve clinical practice with Arabic speakers in regions where neuropsychology is better established. More work is needed to develop novel tests, adapt/validate existing paradigms, and collect normative data in many regions.
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