RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Semantic verbal fluency (SVF) is the most commonly used test in the evaluation of normal and pathological functioning, whether it be clinically or experimentally. Several studies have suggested that the age, schooling and culture of the subject all affect performance in this test. To date no research has been conducted that proves whether there are differences between subjects who speak the same language but who come from different countries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from the 'animals' category of the SVF in adult Spanish-speaking subjects and also the influence exerted by culture, age and schooling on the outcomes in this test were both submitted to analysis. The aforementioned variables were compared with the data reported by five research groups. RESULTS: The SVF test yields similar data from one Spanish-speaking country to another, provided that the subjects' age and schooling are taken into account. The differences found in this study may be due to variations in the way the tests are administered and scored rather than any cultural effect. We propose a standardised method of applying the test, so as to allow these variables to be unified in the future. CONCLUSION: Age and schooling are factors that determine performance in the SVF, although this is not true of culture.
Assuntos
Testes de Linguagem/normas , Idioma , Semântica , Comportamento Verbal/fisiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Animais , Comparação Transcultural , Escolaridade , Humanos , México , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , América do Sul , EspanhaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: A neuropsychological test battery for 5 to 16 year old children has recently been developed. This battery is called Neuropsychological Assessment of Children (Evaluacion Neuropsicológica Infantil, ENI) and it includes the following sections: attention, constructional skills, memory encoding, perceptual skills, memory recall, language, metalinguistic skills, reading, writing, arithmetic, spatial skills, conceptual skills and executive functions. AIMS: Our aim was to obtain norms for the ENI in a Colombian population between 5 and 16 years of age. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We selected 252 children (92 boys and 160 girls) in the city of Manizales (Colombia), and they were administered the ENI. In order to obtain an external validity, 21 of the participants were also given the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised (WISC R). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found on most of the subtests across age groups. Differences between boys and girls appeared more specifically in tests of visuoperceptual, visual constructional, spatial and numerical skills. Some of the ENI subtests correlated with the WISC R subtests. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that the ENI could satisfy the existing need in the Spanish speaking world for neuropsychological tools with which to assess children and adolescents.