INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 11 Program Schedule 02/17/2024 10:45 am - 12:00 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 11: Cultural Neuropsychology \| Education/Training \| Professional Practice Issues Final Abstract #15 The Effects of Different Aspects of Acculturation on Tests of Language, Memory, and Information Processing Tasks in Healthy Hispanic Adults Seth Almaraz, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, United States Douha Louimina, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, United States Jill Razani, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, United States Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience Keyword 1: acculturation Keyword 2: neuropsychological assessment Keyword 3: cross-cultural issues Objective: According to the most recent U.S. Census data, the Hispanic population in the United States of America is expected to continue to increase. Research has demonstrated that cultural factors, such as level of acculturation, affects neuropsychological test performance of Hispanic adults, such that those who are less acculturated to the U.S. culture tend to perform poorer on numerous tests. The purpose of the current study is to assess which aspects of acculturation affect and predict specific neuropsychological test performance in Hispanic adults. Efforts have been made to quantify the varying levels of acculturation in Hispanic populations, such as the development and utilization of the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican-Americans (ARSMA), adapted form. Factor analysis has reported four factors of acculturation that is measured by the ARSMA, that consist of language preferences, ethnic identity, and cultural exposure and interaction. Participants and Methods: The sample consisted of a total of 56 cognitively healthy, Hispanic individuals, with an age range between 18 and 69 years of age (M = 32.95, SD = +14.02). The mean number of years of education completed by our participants was 12.84 (SD = +1.91). All participants completed an adapted version of the ARSMA, a 20-item scale, that has been demonstrated to assess 4 different acculturative factors: (1) language use and preference; (2) ethnic identity and classification; (3) cultural heritage and ethnic behaviors; and (4) ethnic interaction. Participants were also administered the Trails Making Test (TMT) and Stroop tests as measures of information processing, and the Boston Naming Test (BNT) and Rey-Auditory Verbal Learning (RAVLT) tests as assessments of language and verbal memory. Results: Pearson correlations were performed to assess which of the four ARSMA factors significantly correlated with TMT, Stroop, BNT, and RAVLT performance of the participants. Additionally, stepwise regression analyses were then conducted to examine which acculturation factors predict the neuropsychological test performance. Significant correlations were found between Factors 1, 3, and 4 and Stroop B (r values ranged from .38 to .41, p values < .05), between Factor 3 Stroop C (r = .31, p < .05), and between all four ARSMA factors and BNT (r values ranged from .40 to .54, p values < .05). Regression analyses revealed that Factor 3 of the ARSMA, which measures the level of exposure an individual has to their native culture, was the single, most significant predictor of individuals’ performance on Stroop B and C trials. Factor 4, which measures the level of cultural interaction, predicted BNT performance. Interestingly, none of the ARSMA factors were significantly correlated/predicted the RAVLT performance. Conclusions: The current study found that not only does acculturation affect test performance on several cognitive domains, but that specific aspects of adaptation to the dominant culture also predict performance on specific cognitive tests in Hispanic adults. The better we can understand the role of cultural adaptation, and its effects on neuropsychological test performance, the better we can interpret the test results of Hispanic and other immigrant populations.

Poster

02/17/2024
10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 11: Cultural Neuropsychology | Education/Training | Professional Practice Issues

Final Abstract #15

The Effects of Different Aspects of Acculturation on Tests of Language, Memory, and Information Processing Tasks in Healthy Hispanic Adults

Seth Almaraz, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, United States
Douha Louimina, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, United States
Jill Razani, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, United States

Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience

Keyword 1: acculturation
Keyword 2: neuropsychological assessment
Keyword 3: cross-cultural issues

Objective:

According to the most recent U.S. Census data, the Hispanic population in the United States of America is expected to continue to increase. Research has demonstrated that cultural factors, such as level of acculturation, affects neuropsychological test performance of Hispanic adults, such that those who are less acculturated to the U.S. culture tend to perform poorer on numerous tests. The purpose of the current study is to assess which aspects of acculturation affect and predict specific neuropsychological test performance in Hispanic adults.

Efforts have been made to quantify the varying levels of acculturation in Hispanic populations, such as the development and utilization of the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican-Americans (ARSMA), adapted form. Factor analysis has reported four factors of acculturation that is measured by the ARSMA, that consist of language preferences, ethnic identity, and cultural exposure and interaction.

Participants and Methods:

The sample consisted of a total of 56 cognitively healthy, Hispanic individuals, with an age range between 18 and 69 years of age (M = 32.95, SD = +14.02). The mean number of years of education completed by our participants was 12.84 (SD = +1.91). All participants completed an adapted version of the ARSMA, a 20-item scale, that has been demonstrated to assess 4 different acculturative factors: (1) language use and preference; (2) ethnic identity and classification; (3) cultural heritage and ethnic behaviors; and (4) ethnic interaction. Participants were also administered the Trails Making Test (TMT) and Stroop tests as measures of information processing, and the Boston Naming Test (BNT) and Rey-Auditory Verbal Learning (RAVLT) tests as assessments of language and verbal memory.

Results:

Pearson correlations were performed to assess which of the four ARSMA factors significantly correlated with TMT, Stroop, BNT, and RAVLT performance of the participants. Additionally, stepwise regression analyses were then conducted to examine which acculturation factors predict the neuropsychological test performance.

Significant correlations were found between Factors 1, 3, and 4 and Stroop B (r values ranged from .38 to .41, p values < .05), between Factor 3 Stroop C (r = .31, p < .05), and between all four ARSMA factors and BNT (r values ranged from .40 to .54, p values < .05). Regression analyses revealed that Factor 3 of the ARSMA, which measures the level of exposure an individual has to their native culture, was the single, most significant predictor of individuals’ performance on Stroop B and C trials. Factor 4, which measures the level of cultural interaction, predicted BNT performance. Interestingly, none of the ARSMA factors were significantly correlated/predicted the RAVLT performance.

Conclusions:

The current study found that not only does acculturation affect test performance on several cognitive domains, but that specific aspects of adaptation to the dominant culture also predict performance on specific cognitive tests in Hispanic adults. The better we can understand the role of cultural adaptation, and its effects on neuropsychological test performance, the better we can interpret the test results of Hispanic and other immigrant populations.