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 #56 Boston Naming Test Performance and its Association With Stress and Depression in Mexican Population Natalie Gevoglanian, Alliant International University, Los Angeles, United States Raymundo Cervantes, The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA, Torrance, United States Walter Daniel Lopez Hernandez, UCSD Health, San Diego, United States Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience Keyword 1: multiculturalism Keyword 2: depression Keyword 3: ethnicity Objective: Research has demonstrated the bidirectional relationship of stressors and depressive symptoms wherein; increased rates of stressful experiences contribute to the possible exacerbation of depressive symptoms and onset of pathology. Perceived stress is termed as the phenomenon in which an individual can intuitively interpret and report their experienced pressures which may influence their overall health as well as their subjective well-being. While stressors have been known to affect cognitive function this however remains unclear regarding recent experiences of stress on neuropsychological test performance. The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is a test used to assess an individual’s ability to actively retrieve and verbally name the series of visually presented stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if BNT performance and perceived stress was associated with depression. We predicted that persons with normal stress traits (NST) would outperform persons with abnormal stress traits (AST) on the BNT and report lower levels of depression. Additionally, we also predicted that stress and depression would correlate with BNT performance. Participants and Methods: The sample consisted of 131 Mexican Nationals Living in Mexico with a mean age of 24.66 (SD = 8.63). Participants were neurologically and psychologically healthy. Our sample was divided into two groups: NST group and AST group. Participants completed the BNT, Perceived Stress Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in Spanish. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to create our stress groups. Meanwhile, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used in the present study to evaluate if depression influenced BNT performance between our stress groups. A series of ANCOVA’s were used to evaluate BNT and depression differences. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship of depression and stress on CNT performance. Participants passed performance validity testing. Results: NST group outperformed the AST group on the BNT, p = .023, ηp² = .04. Regarding mood, we found the NST reported lower levels depression compared to the AST group, p < .001, ηp² = .26. Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed that depression significantly correlated with BNT performance for the NST group, r² = -.29, p = .014. Finally, depression did not significantly correlate with BNT performance for the AST group, r² = -.07, p = .630. Conclusions: This study underscores the significant influence that self-perceived stress has on depressive symptoms and its impact on cognitive performance among Mexican individuals. These results signify that normal levels of stress and lower depression ratings aided in better cognitive performance on the BNT than the group who had experienced more perceived stressors and rated higher depressive traits. In expanding the literature, future research should explore more specific factors such as acculturative/chronic stress and depression among Hispanic populations in relation to neurocognition to better understand the cultural factors which vary among stress experiences as well as its influence on psychopathology onset.

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 #56

Boston Naming Test Performance and its Association With Stress and Depression in Mexican Population

Natalie Gevoglanian, Alliant International University, Los Angeles, United States
Raymundo Cervantes, The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA, Torrance, United States
Walter Daniel Lopez Hernandez, UCSD Health, San Diego, United States

Category: Cross Cultural Neuropsychology/ Clinical Cultural Neuroscience

Keyword 1: multiculturalism
Keyword 2: depression
Keyword 3: ethnicity

Objective:

Research has demonstrated the bidirectional relationship of stressors and depressive symptoms wherein; increased rates of stressful experiences contribute to the possible exacerbation of depressive symptoms and onset of pathology. Perceived stress is termed as the phenomenon in which an individual can intuitively interpret and report their experienced pressures which may influence their overall health as well as their subjective well-being. While stressors have been known to affect cognitive function this however remains unclear regarding recent experiences of stress on neuropsychological test performance. The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is a test used to assess an individual’s ability to actively retrieve and verbally name the series of visually presented stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if BNT performance and perceived stress was associated with depression. We predicted that persons with normal stress traits (NST) would outperform persons with abnormal stress traits (AST) on the BNT and report lower levels of depression. Additionally, we also predicted that stress and depression would correlate with BNT performance.

Participants and Methods:

The sample consisted of 131 Mexican Nationals Living in Mexico with a mean age of 24.66 (SD = 8.63). Participants were neurologically and psychologically healthy. Our sample was divided into two groups: NST group and AST group. Participants completed the BNT, Perceived Stress Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in Spanish. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to create our stress groups. Meanwhile, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used in the present study to evaluate if depression influenced BNT performance between our stress groups. A series of ANCOVA’s were used to evaluate BNT and depression differences. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship of depression and stress on CNT performance. Participants passed performance validity testing.

Results:

NST group outperformed the AST group on the BNT, p = .023, ηp² = .04. Regarding mood, we found the NST reported lower levels depression compared to the AST group, p < .001, ηp² = .26. Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed that depression significantly correlated with BNT performance for the NST group, r² = -.29, p = .014. Finally, depression did not significantly correlate with BNT performance for the AST group, r² = -.07, p = .630.

Conclusions:

This study underscores the significant influence that self-perceived stress has on depressive symptoms and its impact on cognitive performance among Mexican individuals. These results signify that normal levels of stress and lower depression ratings aided in better cognitive performance on the BNT than the group who had experienced more perceived stressors and rated higher depressive traits. In expanding the literature, future research should explore more specific factors such as acculturative/chronic stress and depression among Hispanic populations in relation to neurocognition to better understand the cultural factors which vary among stress experiences as well as its influence on psychopathology onset.