A brief Spanish-English equivalent version of the Boston Naming Test: a Project FRONTIER study

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Psychometrics
• Linguistics

Background:

• The Boston Naming Test (BNT) is a standard neuropsychological tool for assessing confrontation naming abilities.
• Short forms of the BNT can be beneficial for specific populations, enhancing efficiency and applicability.
• Developing equivalent versions across languages is crucial for cross-cultural neuropsychological research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a Spanish-English equivalent version of the Boston Naming Test (BNT).
• To utilize item response theory (IRT) for establishing linguistic and psychometric equivalence.
• To provide a validated tool for bilingual or multilingual populations.

Main Methods:

• Item response theory (IRT) analysis was applied to data from 380 participants in Project FRONTIER.
• Statistical methods were used to identify and remove items that did not demonstrate equivalence between Spanish and English versions.
• A rigorous selection process resulted in a final 15-item measure.

Main Results:

• A total of 45 items were removed from the initial measure due to significant differences or poor performance between language groups.
• The final 15-item Spanish-English equivalent version of the BNT was established.
• The resulting short form demonstrated psychometric properties suitable for its intended use.

Conclusions:

• The newly developed 15-item Spanish-English BNT provides a valuable and efficient tool for assessing confrontation naming.
• This equivalent version offers significant advantages for use with Spanish-English speaking populations.
• Further research is needed to confirm its diagnostic utility across diverse clinical settings and demographics.