Normative Data of an Argentinean Color Naming Test

To develop normative data for the Psycholinguistic Picture Naming Test in Color (PAPDIC) for Spanish-speaking Argentinians, in order to establish reliable cut-off scores and examine the impact of color on test performance.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 158 healthy participants, 22 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 13 participants with post-stroke aphasia, and 14 participants with post-stroke without aphasia. Participants were assessed using the PAPDIC and sociodemographic data were collected.

The PAPDIC demonstrated strong internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson 20 = 0.925). Item varied difficulty, with some items proving more challenging than others. Significant differences in accuracy were found between the color and black-and-white versions, favoring the former. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed moderate accuracy in identifying cognitive decline (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.787; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.663-0.910) and high accuracy in detecting anomia in patients who have had a stroke (AUC = 0.918; 95% CI 0.781-1.000). Age was found to be a significant predictor of PAPDIC scores, whereas education level and gender were not.

The PAPDIC is a reliable and culturally appropriate tool for assessing language function in Argentinean Spanish speakers. Color images enhanced the participants' performance on the test compared to black-and-white images, probably due to improved perceptual clarity and greater alignment with real-world visual representations, improving the test specificity. Although promising for detecting anomia, further research is required to improve sensitivity in identifying MCI.