Phonemic verbal fluency task in adults with high-level literacy

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psycholinguistics
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Phonemic verbal fluency tests are crucial for assessing language and cognitive functions.
• Establishing normative data is essential for accurate clinical interpretation.
• Previous research has focused on diverse populations, necessitating specific data for Brazilian Portuguese speakers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normative parameters for the F-A-S Phonemic Verbal Fluency Test.
• To provide reference values for highly literate Brazilian Portuguese-speaking adults.
• To facilitate accurate neuropsychological and clinical language assessments.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 40 healthy adults (19-59 years) with at least 8 years of education participated.
• Participants underwent cognitive screening using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Clock Drawing Test.
• The F-A-S Verbal Phonemic Fluency Test was administered, requiring word generation within 60 seconds for each letter (F, A, S).

Main Results:

• Mean word production per minute for letters F, A, and S were 15.3, 14.4, and 13.9, respectively.
• The average total number of words generated across all three letters was 43.5 per minute.
• These results provide specific normative data for this population.

Conclusions:

• Reference values for the F-A-S Verbal Phonemic Fluency Test were successfully established for highly literate Brazilian adults.
• The obtained values align with international literature, validating their clinical utility.
• These normative data support the use of the F-A-S test in clinical language disorder and neuropsychological evaluations in Brazil.