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 #29 Semantic Fluency in a Clinical Sample: Differences between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and Non-AI/AN Individuals Katie Edwards, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Alexis Burks, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Naila Decruz-Dixon, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Christina Gillezeau, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Teagan Mullins, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Kaitlyn Schodt, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Macaiah Shendo, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Isabel Solis, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Alexandra Hernandez-Vallant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Steve Verney, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Lynette Abrams-Silva, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience Keyword 1: cognitive screening Keyword 2: cross-cultural issues Keyword 3: mood disorders Objective: Cognitive tests are culturally bound measures, developed through the worldview of those who created them. Thus, it is perhaps unsurprising that research samples used to develop and validate neuropsychological tests were largely homogenous. More work is needed replicating findings across historically and contemporarily marginalized racial groups, like American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). For example, within literature, there is evidence to support that psychological conditions are associated with deficits in executive control processes, like semantic fluency. To date, there is a gap in existing literature discussing replication of these findings for AI/AN adults. Participants and Methods: Treatment-seeking adults were administered the RBANS (Form A) as a screening measure to determine if outpatient care would be appropriate. Twenty-seven adults were included in the analysis. Patients were diagnosed with PTSD (N=2), Depression (N=8), Anxiety Disorder (this includes generalized anxiety, unspecified anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, illness anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder; N=8), or Other (adjustment disorder, insomnia disorder, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa; N=7). Twenty-three participants identified as non-Native, and four individuals identified as Native. We compared overall mean semantic fluency scaled scores of AI/AN vs. non-AI/AN populations using one-way ANOVA. We then investigated differences in mean semantic fluency scaled scores between diagnostic categories, comparing AI/AN vs. non-AI/AN adults using linear regression. Results: The mean age of participants was thirty-seven years old (SD = 11), with the majority of the participants identifying as female (N=18). Mean scaled scores of semantic fluency overall were significantly higher for AI/AN individuals (F=7.85, df=1, p<0.01). No significant differences were found in mean semantic fluency scaled scores for diagnostic groups by race (R2 = 0.12, p = 0.155). However, it is worthwhile to note that a bar graph revealed that semantic fluency scaled scores for Native participants did not change based on diagnostic category, while non-Native populations did vary in their semantic fluency scaled score. Conclusions: We investigated the relationship between speeded semantic fluency and common psychiatric conditions in a clinical sample from a training clinic in an urban area in the Southwestern United States. The expected relationship between mood symptoms and semantic fluency performance, based on the current body of literature, was not replicated in the AI/AN group. Limitations included a small sample size, and a heterogeneous array of mental health conditions. Additionally, information for sociodemographic status was not available, and it would be important to consider how this information affect standardized testing. While small, results from our sample suggest that future studies re-examine established relationships between neuropsychological test performance and mood symptoms across cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. These results fortify the need to investigate the role of culture in Neuropsychological profiles.

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 #29

Semantic Fluency in a Clinical Sample: Differences between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and Non-AI/AN Individuals

Katie Edwards, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Alexis Burks, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Naila Decruz-Dixon, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Christina Gillezeau, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Teagan Mullins, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Kaitlyn Schodt, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Macaiah Shendo, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Isabel Solis, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Alexandra Hernandez-Vallant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Steve Verney, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Lynette Abrams-Silva, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States

Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience

Keyword 1: cognitive screening
Keyword 2: cross-cultural issues
Keyword 3: mood disorders

Objective:

Cognitive tests are culturally bound measures, developed through the worldview of those who created them. Thus, it is perhaps unsurprising that research samples used to develop and validate neuropsychological tests were largely homogenous. More work is needed replicating findings across historically and contemporarily marginalized racial groups, like American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). For example, within literature, there is evidence to support that psychological conditions are associated with deficits in executive control processes, like semantic fluency. To date, there is a gap in existing literature discussing replication of these findings for AI/AN adults.

Participants and Methods:

Treatment-seeking adults were administered the RBANS (Form A) as a screening measure to determine if outpatient care would be appropriate. Twenty-seven adults were included in the analysis. Patients were diagnosed with PTSD (N=2), Depression (N=8), Anxiety Disorder (this includes generalized anxiety, unspecified anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, illness anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder; N=8), or Other (adjustment disorder, insomnia disorder, binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa; N=7). Twenty-three participants identified as non-Native, and four individuals identified as Native. We compared overall mean semantic fluency scaled scores of AI/AN vs. non-AI/AN populations using one-way ANOVA. We then investigated differences in mean semantic fluency scaled scores between diagnostic categories, comparing AI/AN vs. non-AI/AN adults using linear regression.

Results:

The mean age of participants was thirty-seven years old (SD = 11), with the majority of the participants identifying as female (N=18). Mean scaled scores of semantic fluency overall were significantly higher for AI/AN individuals (F=7.85, df=1, p<0.01). No significant differences were found in mean semantic fluency scaled scores for diagnostic groups by race (R2 = 0.12, p = 0.155). However, it is worthwhile to note that a bar graph revealed that semantic fluency scaled scores for Native participants did not change based on diagnostic category, while non-Native populations did vary in their semantic fluency scaled score.

Conclusions:

We investigated the relationship between speeded semantic fluency and common psychiatric conditions in a clinical sample from a training clinic in an urban area in the Southwestern United States. The expected relationship between mood symptoms and semantic fluency performance, based on the current body of literature, was not replicated in the AI/AN group. Limitations included a small sample size, and a heterogeneous array of mental health conditions. Additionally, information for sociodemographic status was not available, and it would be important to consider how this information affect standardized testing. While small, results from our sample suggest that future studies re-examine established relationships between neuropsychological test performance and mood symptoms across cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. These results fortify the need to investigate the role of culture in Neuropsychological profiles.